


Ever After

by Meri



Series: Montovia [2]
Category: J2 - Fandom
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-14
Updated: 2010-07-14
Packaged: 2017-10-10 13:23:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/100251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meri/pseuds/Meri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary:  This is the sequel to my story <a href="http:"></a>Matrimony for his Majesty, which was written for the 2007 <a href="http:"></a> SPN harlequin Challenge.</p><p>After Jensen decides to stay with Jared, King of Montovia, he learns that happily ever after isn't something that just happens by itself.  You have to work for it.  And sometimes it's not easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ever After

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Just to be clear, the names in this story might be the same as some real people, but the characters in this story are not real. They don't exist. And this never happened.  
> Notes: Many thanks to my betas: Regan_V and Molly_o

* * *

"Mr. Kane should be coming out shortly, sir," Jason Preston, one of Jensen's handpicked security team, said, nodding toward the airport's sliding glass doors.

"Thanks." Jensen reached for the handle on the car door. He was seriously looking forward to seeing Chris again. Since they'd met in first grade, the past six months had been the longest time they'd ever gone without seeing each other. Talking on the phone or email just wasn't the same.

Chris and Ms. Allison came through the exit as Jensen stepped out of the car. He blinked several times in the bright glare of the sun before he focused on Chris.

Although Chris' expression was carefully neutral, Jensen knew him well enough to see the way his shoulders were hunched and his hand was clenched tightly around the shoulder strap of his carry-on. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he must be thinking.

When he got a little closer, Chris held out his hand, without even smiling.

Fuck that. Jensen smacked his hand and hugged him hard. "What? You're gonna shake hands with me like you don't know me?"

That got a laugh and a punch in the shoulder. "You never know. You could have gone all royal on my ass."

"As if. Get in the car." Jensen jerked his head towards the limo. With a nod to him, Ms. Allison got into the front seat with Preston.

"Fuck of a car, dude." Chris slid in and sighed against the leather seats. "I could get used to this," he said as the car silently pulled away from the curb.

"I'm still not used to any of it. Man, I totally can't believe I've been here for six months." Or that he'd been in a relationship of any kind for that long. Aside from his marriage, which really, he didn't count, he'd never been with anyone half that long. But then, Jared broke all his rules.

"Man, I can't either. Hasn't been the same since you left. And who'd've thought that anyone would have you, let alone a king. Okay, so maybe he's not King of England." Chris snorted. "But a fucking _king_!"

At least Chris didn't seem all that impressed with it. After dealing with some of the people who hung around Jared, Jensen wasn't sure he could have dealt with that in a friend. "I still keep thinking this is all some kind of wacked-out fantasy that I'm going to wake up from. But it's not. It's real."

Chris gave him a hard look, seeming to read him as well as he ever had. "It's going okay, right? The… he's treating you good, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Of course. Jared --" Jensen stopped. The obvious answer was that it was great. And in many ways, it was. "Jared is unconditionally great. Aside from Bobby, he is the best thing that has ever happened to me, but the rest of it..." He left it there. No way he was going into that with Chris. Not now, anyway.

"Dude. This is me. Is there --" Chris cut himself off and looked at the front seat. Then he looked around and pressed the console to close the partially opened window between the backseat and the front.

Jensen just shook his head. "Man, you didn't have to do that. There's nothing to say, you know."

"I'm thinking there must be something. There's something in your voice that says you're not telling me everything."

Jensen sighed. The whole knowing-him-since-first-grade might have something to do with Chris' assumption. "It's the _having_ security rather than _being_ the security that's taken a bit of getting used to."

"I'll bet. But you're still a part of everything, what with redesigning the guard and building a new investigative unit and all." Chris sounded, Jensen didn't know, maybe pleased or proud or something. Like Jensen was doing something impressive.

And maybe it was to someone on the outside, but sometimes it didn't feel like it. "Yeah. It's just --"

"What? Is there a problem between you and him?" The note of concern in Chris' voice touched him.

"No. It's good between us. The best. It's all that keeps me sane some days." Even as he said it, he could tell it pushed a little too hard and maybe was said just a little too fast.

Chris tilted his head, just looking at him for a second. "That's what you're saying, but not what I'm hearing. You can't lie to me, dude. I know you too well."

Damn Chris and his perceptiveness. Maybe he did know Jensen too well. And maybe that wasn't a bad thing. "Jared travels a lot." Really, he should be talking to Jared about this and not Chris.

"And you can't go with him?" Chris asked.

Except that he could talk to Chris. Not that he couldn't talk to Jared, but he didn't want to say the wrong thing. "And leave Bobby by himself in a strange place?"

For a second, Chris considered what he'd said, then shook his head. "Bobby's not the problem, is he? What's the problem?"

"There isn't one. Not really. It's just taking a lot to get used to how they do things here." And okay, so that didn't even begin to explain it. But Chris wasn't going to understand until he'd been here for a couple of days or a week.

"You're not in Kansas anymore?" Chris asked with a smile.

"Or Texas. Or anyplace I've ever been or hoped to go. You can't imagine what it's like with all these people around all the time. It's like...something out of a book."

Chris snickered. "A royal book?"

Only it wasn't funny. It was true. There were so many things that he had to remember. "It's just hard having a relationship with someone who is..."

"King of the fucking world?"

They'd called Jared that, hadn't they? In the beginning, when they'd been getting ready to guard him in Texas. Before Jensen had met him. "Something like that. It's just really hard sometimes."

"I'm getting that." Chris looked at him, studying him intently. "So, are you going to tell me?"

Jensen let out a sigh. "Later. You'll see some of it soon enough. It's just all the protocol and crap we have to go through. Bobby and I spent the first couple of weeks here doing everything wrong."

"I bet you loved that."

"You don't even want to know. It's gotten better since school started." Just thinking about that first month made Jensen want to cringe. Or move back to Texas. Except that wasn't even an option anymore.

"You said Bobby was doing pretty good in school this year?"

"He had to have some tutoring over the summer --"

Chris laughed. "Yeah, I heard. He emailed me complaining about it. Bitched that the summer was only two months, instead of three."

"At least he doesn't hate school here any more than he did at home," Jensen said.

"Except for having to wear a suit and tie to class." Chris' expression was a sour as Bobby's had been when he'd first heard about that rule.

Though really, Bobby hadn't complained about it that much after he saw that everyone else was wearing the same thing. "The first time I saw him in the uniform, man. It was weird. At least, he's doing pretty well."

"I don't think he's as bored here as he was at home," Chris said.

"They have a totally different educational system here. They seem to tailor it towards what he's interested in."

"Makes him want to learn more?" Chris sounded skeptical.

"I'm not sure I'd go that far, but he's doing well in school." Jensen sighed. "My parents are coming in tomorrow.

Chris didn't even blink. "Not Josh?"

Jensen shook his head. "I don't think he can deal with it yet."

"With what? You and the king? He's had time to think about it already. And it's not as if he didn't know this was bound to happen someday."

"Dude, if I didn't know it was going to happen, how could he?" Jensen hadn't wanted to admit to himself or anyone else what he was. And even if he had, being a cop in Texas meant he'd never act on it. Meeting Jared had forced the issue.

"You were in denial. What's his problem?"

"Pretty much the same thing. He didn't want to have a brother who's a --" He didn't say it. He couldn't. "A brother who is gay. My father isn't happy with it either." He took a breath and let it out slowly. "We've had a pretty mixed reaction even here. I don't even want to think about how this is playing out at home."

Chris nodded. "It's a pretty radical thing, even with it being legal in a few places. It's not as bad as you think."

"Tell me that if I wanted to go back to work, I could." Not that he could leave Jared. Not now.

"Do you even want to?" Chris' voice was carefully neutral.

But Jensen could tell he was surprised. "No. Maybe if I'd actually left when the first ten-day trip was over, I might have been able to stay away. Now, now there's no way." He looked over at Chris. "Even if I did leave, I wouldn't have anywhere to go."

"Not true." At Jensen's look, Chris sighed. "Okay, I'm not saying it would be that easy, but it wouldn't be impossible, either."

"Right. I know which pictures made it into the papers." Jensen closed his eyes. He wasn't embarrassed by his relationship, but having it on the front page had been hard. "And I know exactly how explicit pictures of two men together went down in the division."

"The ones in the US papers weren't explicit --" Chris held a hand up. "I'm not saying you couldn't figure out what you and he were doing, but they didn't actually show anything more than you kissing him." He shook his head. "I won't lie. It went down about like you'd expect."

"In other words," Jensen spat out, not even bothering to hide his bitterness, "Ventnor accomplished his goal."

"He was trying to kill you. I'd say he didn't come close."

"He wanted to hurt Jared's reputation so that he would have less influence." Jensen leaned back. "And he certainly ruined mine."

Chris smacked his shoulder. "You're ridin' in the back of a friggin' limo, engaged to the king of the world, that doesn't seem very ruined to me."

"I'm just saying that I don't have a lot of options." Even he could tell that he sounded whiny. But it was hard for someone else to get what it was like being dependent on Jared.

"Last I checked, there's no law against being gay. Besides, you just said you didn't want to leave. Unless..." Chris let it trail off.

"No. I'm not going back. I don't want to." Because there was too much here now. "I'm just saying that if I did want to, it would be hard."

Chris shrugged. "Maybe. I thought after you'd been gone for a while people might lay off, but no, there are some boys who don't want to let it go. Despite your arrest record -- which none of them can touch -- they seem offended that you ever worked there."

"Let me guess. Jim Davis, Martin Taylor and Billy Ray Smith. Who else?" But really, Jensen could guess.

"Couple of others. Funnily enough, Jeff Morgan stood up for you."

Now that _was_ a surprise. "Really? I always thought he was one of the good old boys like the rest of them."

"Maybe the EEO training took. I don't know. But he was like, get over yourselves, and let it go. And some of them...most of them...did."

"There are always some," Jensen said.

Chris cracked a smile. "Can't keep a good redneck down, now can you?"

"I guess not." Jensen just shook his head. "So, I'm guessing that none of them want to liaison between the offices to help me set up a police force here." He'd been hoping to use people he knew and trusted. "I guess I'll have to go to Dallas or Houston."

"Actually, Rosey, Steve and, believe it or not, Jeff, all said they were interested. A couple of department guys from Dallas heard about it and said they were interested, too."

"Jeff?"

"Yeah. I'm thinking he wants to come here for a while. Said he always wanted to travel and this would be the best opportunity he'd ever have. He's actually going to be here the end of January."

Jensen nodded. "Great. He's got good instincts when it comes to security."

"True." Chris smiled as they pulled into the long driveway up to the palace. "Don't think I've forgotten that you promised me a princess. I'm aiming to collect on it." He said it like he really meant it.

Just hearing him joke about it made Jensen happy. Time was moving on. "You do know there aren't actually any princesses here. You'll have to settle for a lady."

Chris smirked. "That'll do."

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Jared finally got back to the palace. His feet hurt from his new shoes that would not break in. His back ached from fourteen hours on a plane. And he hadn't slept in nearly twenty-four hours. All he wanted was something quick to eat and then his bed. Which hopefully would be filled with Jensen. Not that he had the energy for anything, but holding him would make sleep come that much more easily.

He pushed open the door to the breakfast room. Ms. Allison had promised to have something ready for him no matter what time he got back. Before he got to the hot snack laid out on the sideboard, someone cleared his throat.

Jared whipped around. A man with long, light-brown hair sat at a corner table, hunched over a half-eaten hamburger and fries. There weren't that many people who could get into this room, and Jared knew them all. It didn't take a whole lot of guess work to figure out who this had to be.

"Mr. Kane? I'm Jared Deveraux." Jared held out his hand.

Kane got to his feet slowly and wiped his hand on his napkin before taking Jared's hand. While he was well built, he was also shorter than Jared was expecting. A lot shorter.

He seemed to be taking an assessment of Jared as he looked him up and down. "So, you're the king?" he asked. His tone was perfectly neutral, but Jared could hear something else in there -- something that might have been an insult. He straightened up. "That's correct. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I fell asleep as soon as I got here this afternoon."

Under other circumstances, that might have made Jared smile. The first time he kissed Jensen had been on a walk in the garden that was ostensibly to keep Jensen from going to sleep too early his first night in Montovia. "I won't disturb you then," Jared said. He was too tired to deal with Kane right now.

"Dude, wait a sec," Kane said. "I'm assuming that's for you." He jerked his head towards the food laid out.

If he got a plate, he'd have to sit with Kane. Not to would be a serious cut, and he was sure Kane would recognize it as such.

"Give me a moment." He wasn't nearly as hungry now as he'd been when he came in, but he took some of what was offered and then returned to the corner table to sit down.

The food tasted good, and once he started to eat, Jared was glad he'd chosen to stay, even if Kane stared at him while he ate.

When the silence had stretched out too long and too hard, Jared looked up at him. "Did you have something you wished to say?"

Kane smiled slowly, like someone who knew a secret and wasn't going to tell. "Nope. Just trying to figure out what it is about you that made him finally give in."

"Pardon me?" Jared choked. Defending his relationship in his home was just not something he was prepared to do. No matter who this man was.

"Jensen gave up a lifetime of repression to be with you." Kane sounded strained, as if he didn't approve of Jensen's choice. Or didn't understand it.

Either way, Jared wasn't having this conversation. "I'm not sure I understand the question."

"It's got me to thinking you must be something. But I can't tell what yet."

Riddles were not Jared's strong suit under the best of circumstances and now certainly wasn't the best of circumstances. "Mr. Kane, it's 3:00 in the morning, I've been traveling for days and I'm tired. If you want to say something to me, please do so. Otherwise, I'm going to finish my meal and go to bed."

Kane smiled again and it irritated Jared even more. "Nope. I got nothing to say. In fact, I'm done here. Thanks for the burger. It was great."

With that, Kane walked away, leaving Jared with his mouth open. What the hell was that?

* * *

Jared was wide awake as he slid into bed. The conversation with Kane played out in his mind and something about it bothered him, but he wasn't sure exactly what.

"Mmm," Jensen said as he cuddled close, wrapping his arms around Jared.

Contentment rolled through Jared as he kissed sleep-warmed lips. "Mmm, yourself."

"Good to have you back."

He tightened his arms around Jensen, his hands stroking along the smooth skin of Jensen's back. Nothing else in the world said home to him quite like Jensen in his arms.

"Very good to be back. I saw your Mr. Kane just now." Jared could hear the annoyance in his own tone.

And clearly, so could Jensen because he stiffened and not in a good way. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Such as?"

He pulled back to look at Jared, but it was too dark for either of them to see. "Like, I don't know. Chris isn't known for keeping his mouth shut if he thinks he should say something."

"And what was he going to say that you couldn't say to me?" Jared hadn't meant to sound so sharp, but Kane had annoyed him. Jensen seemed to know he would.

"There's nothing I couldn't say. That's not what I meant." Jensen leaned up on an elbow, and turned on the light by the bed.

Jared cleared his throat. "What did you mean?" Because this was beginning to sound like a problem. And really, now was not the time for dealing with something major.

"I don't know. He could have said anything. I don't mean just about me, or something I might not have mentioned. I mean...who knows what he might have said," Jensen said, his tone defensive. "Why don't you just tell me rather than making me guess?"

Oh, this was not what he wanted to do at four in the morning. "This is supposed to be your best friend."

"I'm sure whatever it was, he meant well." And maybe Jensen believed that. He'd want to believe the best of a friend.

And maybe Kane did mean well, but the way he talked to Jared just now didn't seem to convey that. Jared wasn't sure he believed it. "He didn't say anything." Which was true, as far as it went.

There had been...Jared didn't know what. It seemed that Kane was trying to provoke him, for some reason.

"Then what's the problem?" Jensen asked, clearly exasperated.

"There isn't one. I just mentioned that he was in the breakfast room and you jumped to a conclusion."

Jensen let out a long slow sigh and turned over, away from Jared. "Fine. It's the middle of the night. Let's just go to sleep."

Even as he lay down and closed his eyes, something didn't feel right about just letting it go like that. Yet, he had no idea what to do or say to break the silence. "Why are you annoyed?" he asked a moment later.

"I'm not." Jensen let out another sigh and turned back over. "Why is everything so hard?"

That was a good question. Jared put a hand into Jensen's hair, carding his fingers through the soft strands, letting his fingers move gently along Jensen's neck. "I don't know. I think it just is for a while at the beginning."

He was very used to everyone being accommodating, which Jensen wasn't. If he were, it would make things easier, but it would also take something out of their relationship. Something Jared valued.

Jensen moved closer and reached out a hand to slide it along Jared's thigh. "I never know what Chris will say about anything. I know he wouldn't say anything to hurt me, not for real."

That was probably true. Whatever else he was, Kane had seemed protective of Jensen. And Jared could appreciate that, even if Kane's attitude did seem to be deliberatively annoying. "He said something about you giving up a lifetime of repression --"

"He's said stuff like that before. He's not wrong," Jensen said, letting out a long slow sigh. "I tried hard to avoid the whole subject."

Which Jared supposed was the same thing. "I did get that. It's okay." He moved his hand over Jensen's side.

"S'not. Not really. Nothing I can do about it now."

"Well, you could make up for some lost time, if you wanted." Jared leaned over and kissed him.

"I could at that," Jensen said, his hand sliding up between Jared's legs to take hold of him.

"Mmm," Jared said, spreading his thighs wider and thrusting up into his hand. "Yeah. Very nice."

Jensen shifted and took most of him into his mouth, his hands continuing to stroke. Warm and wet, Jensen's tongue swirled around the crown of Jared's cock, and then the suction increased. Moaning, Jared pushed up. It only took a second for Jensen to adjust and take him deep. Jared moaned louder, thrusting a little less gently. Hard to believe that Jensen had only been doing this for six months.

So good. So incredibly good. Closing his eyes, Jared gave himself up to Jensen's mouth.

Jensen's fingers rubbed along his hole, teasing.

When there was nothing left in him to hold it back, Jared came, murmuring Jensen's name. Sweet lassitude washed over him after the pleasure started to fade. He took a breath and turned the tables on Jensen, sucking him down, and sliding two fingers into him.

Jensen didn't last any longer than he had, coming with a muttered, "Fuck."

He fell asleep with Jensen draped across him, and his arms wrapped tightly around him.

* * *

Morning came too quickly and with the buzz of the alarm clock. It was going to be a long day. Jared pushed himself out of bed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. He'd need to get it cut soon.

"You know, I'm going to shoot that alarm clock," Jensen said, glaring at the clock as if he could actually kill it with a stare.

"You're the one who insisted that my valet waking us up every morning had to be replaced with that clock," Jared said. He wasn't fond of alarm clocks.

Jensen's face turned an adorable shade of red. "I don't like anyone coming in here when we're, you know, naked, and -- well, possibly... naked."

"You'd get used to it." There wasn't that much privacy in the palace, and the staff turned a blind eye to everything they saw. They also had to sign a binding non-disclosure form.

"No. I would not. I'd rather have the privacy. Even if I do want to kill the alarm clock most mornings."

Jared smiled and leaned over to kiss him. That distracted Jensen for a couple of minutes, but eventually they did have to get up.

"Killing it wouldn't do you any good. It will be replaced in a matter of hours," Jared said as he pulled back.

"I take it you've tried it." And didn't that just please Jensen to consider him being naughty like that.

"Well, I didn't shoot it, but I did hide it when I was about twelve. I hated getting up to go to school." He had gotten yet another lecture on his responsibilities from his father, and his father's valet made sure he was up every morning.

"I doubt anyone likes it." Jensen got out of bed. "I'd better go wake Bobby."

"I could have Bentsen do it for you." Jared knew Bobby wouldn't care.

"That's my job, not your valet's. I'm the --" Jensen stopped. "I don't want to change any more than I have to."

And so much had had to change already. Jared wasn't going to argue with that. "Your parents are coming in today."

"I did remember that. And school lets out early for the holiday, so unless traffic is horrible coming back from the airport, I'm not going to be here when they get here. I was thinking of asking Chris to entertain them until I get here." Jensen bent over to pick up the trousers he'd thrown on the floor last night.

It was all Jared could do not to take hold of his hips and nibble on his upturned arse. "I was going to take care of entertaining your parents."

"Without me as a buffer?" Jensen straightened up, holding his clothes. It was plain that he didn't think much of that idea.

Jared shrugged. "I've been trained most of my life to be polite. I think I can handle it." At Jensen's look, he added, "What would you have me do? Ignore my fiancé's parents when they arrive because he's not here to introduce us and play referee?"

Jensen looked a bit green. "We're not officially engaged, you know."

It felt like a slap in the face. And about the last thing Jared wanted to hear first thing in the morning. Their relationship had been officially announced before the trial pictures had hit the world press, but Jensen was still officially just a...boyfriend, he supposed. "Close enough. I've been waiting for you to adjust."

"I know. And I appreciate it." Jensen gave him a small smile. "I told you I was okay with it, but I'd like to give everything time to settle."

Jared forced back a sigh. "You've already got some of the perks of the job."

At that, Jensen's demeanor changed. He licked his lips, looking up at Jared through hooded eyes. "Don't I know it?" he said, his tone salacious and filthy.

Closing his eyes for a second, Jared breathed out sharply. They did not have time now, and damn Jensen for looking at him like that. His whole body tightened with the need to take Jensen into his arms and fuck the daylights out of him.

"I wasn't actually thinking of that," Jared said, drawing in a shaky breath. "You'd get that even if you didn't marry me. I was thinking of your job. Everyone has been more or less looking the other way since you haven't officially been made Head of the Guard."

"I'll need to be a Montovian citizen to actually accept it. I'm not willing to give up my American citizenship yet, either."

"As long as you don't plan to rule, you don't have to." He'd thought that Ms. Allison had explained it all too him. "Even my mother still has dual citizenship."

"Doesn't it take a year to be granted citizenship?"

"Normally, but if you marry a citizen you'd be granted provisional citizenship immediately." There wasn't a lot of hope they'd be married inside of a year. Maybe in two.

With a look and a sigh, Jensen put on jeans and a t-shirt. "I need to go wake up Bobby."

* * *

Jared knocked on the door to the suite where Jensen's parents were staying and heard something that sounded like _come in_. He'd left them alone for twenty minutes, ostensibly to unpack and relax. He'd hoped Jensen would get home and act as that buffer. No such luck.

He opened the door. An older couple stood in the center of the sitting room. If he'd ever wondered what Jensen was going to look like in thirty years, the answer was standing in front of him, scowling. Ackles was tall and slim, with silver hair cut not very differently from Jensen's.

Mrs. Ackles, on the other hand, was smiling, however tentatively. Jensen had her green eyes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ackles, I'm Jared Deveraux," Jared said, holding out his hand much as he'd done the night before with Kane. "Jensen is picking up Bobby and my son at school."

"I think we know who you are," Mr. Ackles said. And it was pretty clear from his tone that he thought Jared had somehow defiled his son. It took work to keep the polite smile on his face.

Mrs. Ackles smacked his arm and hissed, "Be polite." She took a step forward and shook his hand. "We're Donna and Alan Ackles. Thank you for having us here."

"I'm glad you could come. I understand that your son Josh was unable to get away?" Jensen hadn't said much about that, and Jared hadn't been home enough in the last few weeks to press the issue.

She looked down. "He can't get away from his job, right now." It was easy to tell she was lying. "He's an attorney in Dallas --"

"I think he probably knows that already, don't you?" Mr. Ackles said. He folded his arms over his chest and scowled again.

"I do hope he will be able to attend our wedding," Jared said conversationally. And oh dear God that was the wrong thing to say.

Mrs. Ackles' cheeks went red.

And the explosive look on Ackles' face reached epic proportions. "I just can't believe you can do _that_ kind of thing here."

"What kind of thing is that?" Jared asked in his most polite tone of voice. Jensen had warned him, but he hadn't actually believed that Jensen's father would be rude. Cold, perhaps, but not outright rude. Clearly, he'd been mistaken.

"Stop that," Mrs. Ackles said. Her tone had become more strident, and she looked mortified. "You know it's legal in several states."

"Even if it is, that doesn't make it right." Ackles snorted, glaring at Jared as if he were the defiler of small children or something.

"Leave it for now." Her cheeks were red as she looked apologetically at Jared.

"It's legal here," Jared said. And then he met Ackles' angry eyes. In for a penny as it were. "In fact, we'll have a state wedding. It will be a national holiday."

For one second, Ackles' mouth went slack. Then his eyes narrowed as disbelief set in. "As if I'd believe that. I think I'll take a nap, if you don't mind." He turned and walked away without waiting for an answer.

Mrs. Ackles watched him close the door. "I'm so sorry that he ..."

"You don't have to apologize." But Jared felt much better that she had. He didn't want to come between Jensen and his parents, but he couldn't tolerate much more rudeness without saying something. If it made it into the press, God. Jared did not want to think about the scandal it would cause.

"You know, I thought he'd be better behaved than this. Really, he's never rude to anyone." She looked pointedly at the closed bedroom door. "It's not like he hasn't known this was coming for years."

That Ackles wasn't usually bad-tempered said all that needed to be said about what he thought of Jared's relationship with Jensen. He let out a breath. "It still must be something of a shock --"

Mrs. Ackles was shaking her head. "Oh, I've always known that if Jensen ever...that is, if he decided to admit it to himself, it would be a lifetime thing. And I've tried to explain it to Alan, but truthfully, he doesn't want to know. I had hoped --"

"I understand. I'm glad you could convince Mr. Ackles to come at all." Because it was becoming clear that Mrs. Ackles had been the driving force here.

"Look, call me Donna, okay. I think it's going to take a bit more time for Alan to get used to the idea that you'll actually be able to...get married. Truthfully, I don't think he can deal with the idea that Jensen is openly gay."

As much as he did want to understand, that kind of thinking was so alien to him. And as much as he might wish that Jensen's parents weren't upset by it, that kind of rudeness would not be tolerated in public. "As I said, it isn't going to be the same kind of problem here that it might be in the States."

"Well, if your wedding is going to be a national holiday, I guess not." She laughed, nervously, looking down and not at him. "But it _is_ a big deal where we're from. And those pictures didn't help."

"I'm sorry about that. There was no way to keep them out of the papers once the trial started." And really, that was not how he would have chosen to announce his choice for a life partner.

"At least that man, what was his name, Ventnor, was convicted. And to think, he tried to kill you and Jensen. All over money. I don't understand that."

"I don't either." He and Jenson would be dealing with the aftermath of that man's handiwork for a long time to come. Jared looked at his watch. "Jensen should be back soon. He and Mr. Kane went to pick up the boys from school. I don't think he trusts the security."

"He told me he's restructuring the police force."

"He's going to create a modernized investigative unit within our present guard unit as well as enhancing our security. I don't pretend to understand the details," Jared said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Is Mr. Ackles going to do anything that would hurt --"

She shook her head. "No. Of course not. He loves Jensen. He might feel the need to have a talk with you about it."

A shudder passed down Jared's spine. He could already imagine how that conversation would go. But he was trained to deal diplomatically with any situation, no matter how onerous it was. For Jensen, he'd make the effort.

The silence stretched out and Jared took a step back, preparing to leave. As he opened his mouth to make a polite excuse, his cell phone rang. "Yes?" he said.

"Your Majesty, there's been an incident at the boys' school," Ms. Allison's voice was strained. It terrified him that he could hear the tears in her voice.

"What kind of incident?" he asked, reaching for the back of the chair in front of him as his heart jerked painfully.

"They think it was a kidnapping attempt. Mr. Ackles got the boys and Mr. Kane into the limousine." She took a breath. "Mr. Kane is on his way back here with both boys."

Jordan and Bobby were on their way back. He gripped the chair harder, his fingers trying to dig into the wood. "Jensen?" His voice cracked.

"I don't know, sir. Security and the guard unit were dispatched within minutes." Her voice was a little stronger.

He took a breath and then another one. "All right. Inform me when you know something more."

His knees felt weak and he wanted to throw up. What was he supposed to do?

"Your -- Jared?"

He'd forgotten she was standing there. Oh, God. He'd have to explain to Jensen's mother. Deep breath. "There was a kidnapping attempt --"

Her face turned white. "Bobby? Jensen?"

"Bobby and Jordan are on their way back with Mr. Kane. I have no other details." He took a step back. "I must go down --"

She put her hand on his arm. "And Jensen?"

He shook his head. "I don't know." He had to move or he'd fall apart and he couldn't. It wasn't acceptable. "I'll let you know as soon as I know something. Stay in the room, all right?" He turned around and walked out. He stopped in the corridor to take a breath and put his hands on the wall. His heart was thudding against the wall of his chest so hard that it hurt to breathe.

Control. Control. Control. He chanted it to himself like he'd done all his life when something had tried to overwhelm him. It was unbecoming of a monarch to fall apart. His father's voice rang in his head.

"Are you all right?" Mrs. Ackles asked, quietly. She started to put a hand on his arm again, but then pulled back.

Opening his eyes, he gave her a wan smile, mortified that she'd seen him. There was no excuse for it. He breathed out and straightened up. "Yes, I'm fine. Please go back to your room. It's safer for you there."

"I doubt there's any danger here," she said, looking around. There was no one in the corridor. Aside from a guard on each floor, at this time of the afternoon, there wasn't anyone in the private section of the palace at all.

"What's going on?" Ackles asked as he came out of the room.

"Something happened with Bobby and Jensen," she said, squeezing Ackles hand.

His eyes widened and he looked sharply at Jared. "Oh, God. What?"

"Both of you, go back to your room, please."

He thought he heard Mr. Ackles mutter, "Like hell."

There was no way he was going to deal with Ackles now. He edged away from them both. "I'm going downstairs to the entrance. The boys should be there presently." Jordan was presumably okay. So was Bobby. The relief from that alone was staggering. But Jensen. Oh, God. If something --

No. He wasn't going to think like that. Kane would be at the front entrance soon. And Jared would be there to meet him, and then he'd see what Kane had to say for himself.

He forced himself to move slowly down the stairs. Just as he got to the main floor, he heard the car pull up. Why was it so loud?

Two guards stood aside when he pushed open the door as Bobby and Jordan scrambled out of the back of the limo. Why was Kane driving? Where were their security guards?

As he went out to the boys, Kane got out of the car. How odd that Kane was wearing a bulletproof vest on top of his shirt. And he was carrying a rifle. "What the hell are you doing out here? Do you have any brains at all? There was an attempt to --"

Jared stopped listening as he knelt and hugged Jordan, pressing his face into his son's hair and breathing in the familiar scent of him. Jordan held on for a moment or two and then moved back. He pulled Bobby into his arms next.

Both boys were pale. Bobby had tears on his cheeks. "They got Dad. He distracted them while Chris drove us away."

He looked at Kane. It wasn't fair and he knew it, but he snarled, "How could you leave him?"

Without even blinking, Kane scowled back at him. "I had two minor children to think about. They trump any other concerns. Jensen knew that. Hell, Jensen insisted I get them to safety."

As much as it pained Jared to admit it, it was the right thing to do. "Where? How?"

"I don't know any more than you do. And for God's sake, get the hell inside," Kane ordered, pushing Jared and the boys through the open doorway and then slamming it shut.

"Lock it. Do not let anyone in unless you know them personally, or you clear it with me. And don't let anyone out, either," Kane yelled.

None of this was making any sense to Jared. And right now, he just couldn't think past finding out what happened to Jensen. "Wait a moment. I want you to --"

"Go upstairs. Now! You should not have even come down here. What were you thinking," Kane snapped. He turned back to the guards standing at the door. "Do either of you know how to use a rifle?"

Both of the guardsmen nodded.

He pushed the rifle he was carrying into the hand of one of the guardsmen. "Then stand guard with it. Go. Now." The two nodded and ran to do Kane's bidding.

Kane turned away from Jared and made a point of scanning the area. "Why the _hell_ isn't this place in full lockdown? Good God, is there _any_ security? Where the hell are the rest of the guards? And where is the guard captain?"

"Bobby," Mrs. Ackles called and rushed to him.

"Gramma." Bobby ran to her and threw himself into her arms and then turned and hugged his grandfather. They pulled Bobby over to the stairs and Jordan went with them. Out of Kane's way.

"Who the fuck is in charge here?" Kane's voice was loud and furious. Someone came out of the security office.

"I think that would be me," the man said.

"You're fired. We have a kidnapping incident involving the prince, and you don't have the whole palace in lockdown? Clearly you're incompetent -- or in on it?"

"What? Wait just a minute. You can't fire me," he sputtered, his face was bright red.

"Maybe he can't, but I can," Jared said, in his best royal tone. Under normal circumstances he might have said something about procedures, but really, Kane was right; the man was incompetent.

The guard captain opened his mouth and then closed it. He bowed and left without another word. Jared was sure they had not heard the last of that, but sometimes being king had its advantages. No one argued with him.

Well, Jensen did. He closed his eyes as a wave of staggeringly intense fear washed over him. Please let him be all right, Jared prayed.

Kane's cell phone rang. "Kane," he barked into it. "Jen! Are you all right? Right. Right. You're on your way back? Right. Yeah, we're good here. Trying to keep your king inside and safe."

At the sound of Jensen's name, Jared's knees threatened to give out. Had there been anything to lean on, he would have done so.

"Yeah," Kane said. "Here." He held the phone out to Jared.

"Jensen?" His voice didn't sound like his own. It was too breathy. Too scared. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm good. Well, I've been shot --" Jensen sounded nearly cheerful. Perhaps happy to be alive.

God knew, Jared was beyond relieved and grateful. "What?" His heart started to pound. "Where are you? What have you done?"

"I'm in one of the security SUVs. On my way to the hospital. It's really just a crease."

Something in Jensen's voice said he was in more pain than he was letting on. "How bad? Really?"

"Not that bad. It hurts, but getting shot does." Jensen cleared his throat. "I'm pretty sure Preston was killed. They transported him by ambulance. I'll find out for sure when I get there."

Preston was a good kid. "Look, I can be there in --"

"No! Don't come to the hospital --"

He had no intention of being denied. "The hell I won't."

"Jared. It's not safe. Not until we know what's going on. Who did this. You need to stay in the palace where people can guard you in a controlled space." Jensen's voice had turned desperate.

But Jared didn't care. He needed to see Jensen. "I don't --"

"Please don't be stupid, okay. I can't do anything until I get back. Stay with Bobby and my folks."

Jared turned to look at his son, Bobby and the Ackles all huddled together at the base of the main stairway. Ms. Allison stood nearby.

"Can you tell me what happened at the school?"

"Not yet. I will when I get there."

"Jensen --"

"No. It's only going to be a few hours. Please. Do this for me." Jensen stopped and said something to someone else. "Look, we're almost there. Let me talk to Chris, okay?"

"I lo--"

"Yeah, me, too."

Jared handed the phone back to Chris.

"Jen. Yeah. Welling. I'll contact him. Later, dude." Kane closed the phone. "You." He pointed to one of the guards who were standing around. "Get Tom Welling over here now."

The guardsmen looked startled and hesitated.

"Now," Kane ordered. The guardsman took off towards the office at a run.

Kane turned towards Jared. "Um..."

An unbecoming amusement washed over Jared that Kane had no idea how to address him. "Do you need something, Mr. Kane?"

"Why don't you take everyone upstairs? When Jensen gets back, I'll send him up."

Jared wanted to argue. To demand to be taken to see Jensen. Instead, he took a deep breath, fighting the need to take control. "All right." He turned toward the small group. "Ms. Allison, please take everyone upstairs. Make sure the boys are given something to eat. I'm sure the Ackles are hungry, too."

"Yes, sir." She nodded. "Please," she said, holding out her hand. Dutifully, Jordan stepped on the first stair, and he nudged Bobby, who looked like he might argue, but thankfully didn't. Mr. and Mrs. Ackles said nothing and went up the stairs as directed.

"Um...why don't you go, too?" Kane suggested. His voice was softer, more sympathetic. "You'll probably be more comfortable upstairs with your family. And I'm sure you'll be a comfort to the boys."

That was a very persuasive argument, which Jared was sure that Kane knew. But the Ackles could take care of the boys for the moment. "Before I go up, I'd like to hear exactly what happened."

For a moment, Jared actually thought that Kane was going to deny him.

Kane sighed and ran a hand over his face, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "I think they were trying for your son. Jensen made the situation. Had flak jackets and a weapon in the car. I went after the kids and he provided cover -- before you say anything, Jensen's a crack shot. I got the kids onto the floor of the car, but the driver had gotten out. He was down. So, I drove them back here."

Leaving Jensen. But getting the boys to safety had to be everyone's first priority. "Thank you," Jared said, sincerely.

Kane nodded, his cheeks tinted red. His mobile rang. "Kane. Right. Let him pass." He turned towards the guard at the door. "Welling is at the gate. He'll be here in a few minutes."

When the buzzer sounded, one guard checked on the monitor to see who it was.

"It's Mr. Welling," he said.

"Let him in," Kane said.

A tall, well-built man came in. Jared didn't know him personally, but Jensen had spoken well of him.

"Welling?" Kane asked.

"Yes." He came forward and then caught sight of Jared. His eyes widened and he bowed. "Your Majesty. You shouldn't be here. Not out in the open like this."

Jared never had to question the security of his home. "There is a fence around the palace, a guard at the gate. The residential section of the palace only has two ways in or out."

"Actually, sir, there are three. There's an entrance through the palace as well as the front and rear entrances," Welling said with some deference.

"I stand corrected." He folded his arms over his chest. "Still, this is hardly out in the open. Why did Jensen ask you here?" Welling was the assistant director of Operations, and as far as Jared knew, this wasn't even close to his responsibilities.

Welling cleared his throat. "Jensen and I have been working on contingency plans. I heard about what happened on the news. I also called the hospital. I'm sure you know he's okay."

Jared nodded. "We've talked to him."

"Told me he wanted you to lock the palace down," Kane said. "Then run a security check, top to bottom."

"There was already a plan for that. It should have gone into effect as soon as anyone heard about the attempt on Prince Jordan," Welling said and turned to the guard by the door, the one with the rifle. "Why wasn't the plan executed?"

The guard just looked at him and shrugged. "No one told us to do it."

"Where is the guard captain?" Welling asked.

"I fired his ass." Kane smirked.

"Good call, sir."

"Kane. Christian Kane." Kane held out his hand and Welling took it. "Let's take your plans into the office and work out what we need to do to secure this place and keep his a..." Kane threw a look at Jared. "Keep the king safe."

He couldn't be much help now. Jared let them go and headed toward the stairs.

His cell rang and he looked the screen ID. Jensen. Just seeing his name on the screen of his phone made his heart start beating a little faster. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm all patched up. It was just a crease or two --"

"Two," Jared said, horrified by the squeak in his voice. "You didn't say you'd been hit twice."

"I'm fine, really. I'll be back there in a little while."

"Good. I want to see you immediately."

"Yes, your Majesty." Jensen was laughing. "You and Chris must be arguing already."

"What makes you say that?"

"I know him and I know you."

"We are not. Mr. Welling showed up and they have gone off to work on plans."

"And you're doing what?"

"Going upstairs to make sure your parents and Jordan and Bobby are all right."

"See you later."

* * *

Everyone looked at Jared when he came into the upstairs sitting room. Their eyes seemed to burn into him. He wanted to be alone, just for a moment, to try to process what happened. And maybe settle his queasy stomach.

It was his duty to make sure that everyone was at ease -- or as much as they could be. This was his family and he'd take care of them. "Jensen should be back here shortly." Short being relative.

Both of the Ackles and Bobby seemed to let out a collective breath.

Jordan came over to him and took his hand. It wasn't something he normally did, not without a good reason. "Are you all right, sir?"

Sometimes he hated the formality Jordan had been forced to grow up with. He wanted to wrap his arms around his son and hold him tight. "Yes, son. I'm fine. I know you weren't injured, but are you all right?"

Jordan nodded solemnly and didn't let go of his hand. "Yes, sir."

He heard Alan Ackles mutter something about fine manners, and he shot him a hard look.

Fuck it, Jared thought. He knelt and pulled Jordan close, closing his eyes. His son was safe and unharmed. And he was beyond grateful for that.

"Bobby? Are you all right?" Jared asked as he let go of Jordan.

"Yes, sir," Bobby said, also coming to stand next to him. He looked like he could use a hug, too. Jared knelt again and opened his arms. Bobby wasn't at all reticent about throwing himself into them. Jared was glad to hold him, too.

"I'm sure Dad is going to be okay," Bobby whispered as he let go.

Jared forced a laugh and stood. "Do I look that bad?"

"We know how much you care about Jensen," Jordan said. "I do, too."

"I think we all do," Donna said. "Why don't you eat something... I'm sure you'll feel better if you eat something..." Her voice drifted off when he shook his head.

There was a long moment of silence.

"They brought up some snacks for the boys," Donna said, indicating the tray of cut-up vegetables and cheese.

"Healthy ones," Bobby complained a little too brightly.

"I think there's some candy in the bowl in our room," Jared said smiling at him and giving him permission to raid it.

"Really?" Bobby's whole face lit.

"Just this once. Why don't you bring the bowl in and everyone can share it?" Maybe it would distract the boys.

Bobby didn't have to be told twice. "Yes, sir." He took off at a trot.

"That boy sure loves his candy," Ackles said, chuckling. "Don't know where he gets it from, either."

Donna gave him an amused look.

A moment later, Bobby came back carrying the glass candy bowl. "Jared... er... his Majesty likes candy a lot." He looked at Jared. "Sorry."

"We're not really in public," Jared said and put a hand on Bobby's head.

"Have some, Jared," Bobby said, putting the bowl on the low table beside the sofa and digging into it.

His stomach rebelled at the thought of anything going into it. It was all he could do to keep his lunch down. "Thank you, but not right now," he said sitting down next to the fire.

"Jordan, why don't you tell me what happened at school today?" It would be good for the boys to talk about it. Maybe it would be good for him to hear it.

Jordan nodded, taking some of the candy, and launched into a detailed account of leaving school and then being accosted by two men in ski masks and carrying guns before he could get to the car. After that, Bobby had kicked one of them, and he and Jordan had run toward the car while everyone was screaming. Chris had met them halfway there, putting himself between the boys and the gunmen.

By the time Jordan had gotten to the end of the tale, with Bobby helping out with details, there was a noise at the door. Jensen stood there.

"Dad!" Bobby launched himself at Jensen, wrapping his arms around him and laying his head on Jensen's shoulder.

Jared's fondest wish right then was to do the same thing. As it was, he had to hold himself stiffly just to remain standing as Jensen went to his parents, still holding Bobby.

Jared's throat closed and he had to take several deep breaths.

"Mom," Jensen said, hugging her hard without letting go of Bobby. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Always getting into trouble," she said wetly. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know," Jensen said, pulling back and reaching for his father. "Dad."

"Jensen," Mr. Ackles said, his voice not much steadier than Mrs. Ackles'. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Me, too."

Jensen pulled back and looked at Jared. As he started across the room, Bobby let him go completely and stood next his grandparents. Jordan let go of Jared's hand and stepped back half a step. Jensen ruffled Jordan's hair, but never took his eyes off Jared.

"Hey," he said, so softly that Jared almost didn't hear him.

Jared was aware of the people in the room watching them. Kane was in the doorway. There was a guard there as well. He knew he couldn't make a scene. That he shouldn't do anything more than say something comforting, and he opened his mouth to do so and nothing came out.

Jensen didn't hesitate, wrapping his arms tightly around Jared and pressing his face against Jared's shoulder. Closing his eyes, his throat thick, Jared prayed he wouldn't completely humiliate himself by crying. He was so relived, so grateful to have Jensen back and in one piece. With exaggerated care, he pulled back and put his hand on Jensen's cheek. "I know you did the right thing. But if you'd been killed --"

"I wasn't. I knew what I was doing." Jensen tipped his head up.

He couldn't help it. Jared kissed him full on the mouth. "I know. I do. But I can't lose you." He should have been appalled that his voice cracked. Maybe he would be, later. Now, now all he wanted to do was kiss Jensen.

Someone cleared his throat after he kissed Jensen for a second time.

"When you two are done," Kane said, sounding far too amused. "Jensen and I have some information to exchange with Welling."

Jensen didn't jump back. He slowly turned to look at everyone there and his cheeks went red, but he didn't pull away. "I just came up to let you see that I was okay."

"And we appreciate it," Jared said, letting him go, reluctantly.

"I'll be back. We have a private dinner planned tonight for my folks and Chris."

How could he have forgotten about that? "Go. Do what needs to be done." Jared put a hand in Jensen's hair for one moment more and then let him go completely. "Do we need to remain here or can I show your parents around."

"I think we're finally secure. Chris and I will see this doesn't happen again."

"Thank you," Jared said as they both left the room.

* * *

"I didn't ask before," Chris said as they walked away from the library, "What happened with the driver?"

To his shame, Jensen hadn't even thought of telling anyone about Jason Preston until this moment. "Even with three bullet wounds, it looks like he's going to survive."

For which Jensen was grateful. Preston was a good kid. He should have told Jared.

"You okay?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, fine." But he was lying. His guts were twisted in knots. He wanted to be back there with his family, reassuring Bobby, and his parents, and Jared. The fear in Jared's eyes had almost been more than he could bear. But that was why he was able to walk away now. He needed to make sure that that fear wasn't there again. That his family would be safe.

"The rest of the response team should have the evidence bagged and tagged by now. They should be bringing it to guard investigation headquarters --"

Chris took hold of his arm and stopped walking. "Sorry, dude, but you're not going out of the palace."

The world had just tilted on its axis. Jensen shook his head to clear it. He knew that Chris was right, but that tone and that look did not track. "The day hasn't dawned when you can say something like that to me."

But Chris was also shaking his head. "Seriously, man. You need to pay attention to your own damned security."

Jensen folded his arms across his chest. "It's across the street and down the block. I'm not the target here --"

"You so are, man. You're his..."

"You don't have a name for what I am, do you?" And that was a whole other can of worms that Jensen didn't have the time or energy to think about right now. Now, he needed to make sure what happened this afternoon didn't happen again. Or if it did, then they were a lot better prepared for it than they were this time.

"Boyfriend, lover, significant other, I don't care. You're involved with a major target. And you know as well as I do, dude, that makes you a target in anyone's books."

He took a deep breath. This was not what they needed to be discussing. "I am not going to sit by and let my training and experience go to waste."

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying back off on trying to do the active field work. We've got the palace in lockdown. That means no one in or out. You know it."

As much as it wasn't supposed to be this way, there was nothing Jensen could do about it. Chris was right. He was still operating under the assumption that he was supposed to be doing the guarding. This had gone far enough. Jensen closed his eyes for a second and then focused on Chris. "Then we can go to my office and patch into HQ and see what they have for us."

"Wait. What? You didn't want to go out?" Chris shook his head, giving him a hard look. "Then why the hell didn't you say so in the first place?"

"You opened your big mouth and started ordering me around before I fucking got the chance." And really, Chris should know better than to do that. Even when he was right, it still annoyed the fuck out of Jensen.

"Oh." There was a lot of satisfaction in seeing that chagrined look on Chris' face.

"Pay attention. As I was saying," Jensen grinned at him. "I trained the response team and they should have turned in a preliminary report already."

There was a gleam of appreciation in Chris' eyes. "How fast can we get the ballistics?"

"Couple of hours." Jensen held the door to his office open. "That screen," he pointed to the flat panel on the wall, "has a link to the investigative branch down the street. All we have to do is this." Jensen hit the button on the console on his desk. A dark-haired woman of about forty or so appeared on the screen.

"What can I do for you, sir?" she asked.

"You can start by calling me Jensen, Lauren. This is Christian Kane. Since I'm involved, he's going to be helping out with the kidnapping investigation from this end. Chris, this is Lauren Graham, she's the deputy director of the guard's new investigative unit."

"What happened to Bryce Reynolds?" she asked.

"Chris fired him for incompetence. He got back here and no one had put the palace in lockdown. His majesty was in the courtyard waiting for him. Now, Chris has to take Reynolds' place until I can find someone to replace him."

"Would you rather I'd've let him keep working here? It's a wonder someone hasn't just waltzed into the palace and killed everyone in their sleep." Chris wasn't wrong about the security issues. It also brought up a whole lot of other questions.

Lauren nodded. "Indeed, sir."

"Chris or Kane if you must. Not sir," he mumbled, while looking down at something on Jensen's desk.

As she'd done every time Jensen had insisted she call him by his first name, Lauren wrinkled her nose and let out a sigh.

Jensen did not understand why these people had such a hard time with first names. "So, what have you found out?"

"Not a lot, yet. They were locals, small-time criminals -- I emailed you their names and identifying information. It's also in the database under the case number CA0971634." She did something with the laptop on her desk. "Beyond that, as far as I can tell they were hired by someone outside. I suspect they weren't expecting resistance. It was excellent work that you were able to identify what was happening so quickly and then handle the situation." She nodded to them. "I'll know more in a couple of hours."

"Keep me informed."

She nodded and touched something on her desk and the screen went dark.

"Pretty nice set-up you've got here."

"Up until recently, a large part of the guard's budget was spent on nonessential things. Like vacations for the top brass disguised as conferences. I needed an accountant to figure out what had been diverted. But I'm making sure the money gets where it's supposed to go."

There was no small amount of satisfaction in seeing all the latest law-enforcement technologies deployed in the field. If nothing else, his people would be well-equipped and soon, he hoped, they'd be well-trained as well.

"Good deal." Chris laughed.

"Right now, I'm interested in spending the money on training and equipment to bring the guard up-to-date. Because what they've been using has been the equivalent of water pistols without training."

"Who are you getting to train them?"

"I did some research and hired an Israeli security firm to do the basics. You weren't wrong about Reynolds. There's a level of incompetence and neglect at the upper levels that is unconscionable. It's amazing no one has been kidnapped or killed before this."

"Probably no one knows how bad it is."

"And now, hopefully, they never will. I think that most of the guard are very grateful to have decent weaponry and the opportunity to learn to use it." Jensen sat back in his chair. "There's a plug for your laptop and wireless throughout the palace."

"I'll go get it and see what I can find on those guys. Forward me that email," Chris said as he went out the door.

"Done." Jensen picked up the phone and called Welling's temporary office. Normally, Welling worked in his office in the city center, but since he and Jensen had been working together, Jensen assigned him an office in the palace as well. "Why don't you come join Chris and me?"

By the time Welling walked in, Chris was also back. Welling remained standing rather than take the chair in front of Jensen's desk.

"So, what do we have on your end?" Chris asked as he settled in at the small table near the window.

Welling looked at him and then back at Jensen. "My end? I'm not sure what you're talking about, sir?"

That was a perfectly proper reply, but it set off alarms in Jensen's head. "Is there a problem?"

"No, sir." Except Welling was still standing at attention, much as he had when Jensen had first met him.

Jensen couldn't remember the last time Welling had called him sir, either. He let out a breath. A couple of months ago, Jared had pissed him off with something minor, and now he couldn't remember exactly what it was, but they'd had an argument. Not even really that, more of a disagreement. But it had been in public.

At the time, he hadn't thought anything about it. But suddenly everyone around him had become coldly polite.

Apparently, they'd been angry as hell about whatever he'd said to Jared. It hadn't been a big deal to him, or to Jared either. Unfortunately, it had been to those who had witnessed it. The worst part was that no one had said anything to him directly. He'd had to ask. None of them felt they could correct him.

Fuck, what had he done this time?

"God, you people are too damned polite. If I've managed to offend you again, you're going to need to tell me what you're annoyed about," Jensen said. And ordering him probably wasn't the way to do it.

"Excuse me, sir?" Welling said, looking straight ahead and not meeting his eyes.

"What did I say this time?" Oh, God, it was probably the kiss, but Welling hadn't been there for that. He wondered how he'd heard about it. And from whom?

Welling gaze flicked to him and then back.

"Or was it Chris?"

This time his eyes flashed. Bingo.

"Me? What did I do?" Chris pushed his hair out of his eyes. "I just saved your king's ass along with the little prince's. You'd think he'd be grateful, rather than getting up in my face about it --

Fuck. Trust Chris to put his foot in it. "Man, you can't talk about him like that. Not here. It's just not done. Not in the palace."

"The fuck? What are you talking about? We were in a battle situation. He was fucking outside in the courtyard. And he was arguing with me. He's got shit for --"

"Stop. Don't you dare finish that sentence. Please don't make this any worse that it already is," Jensen snapped out in a tone that he knew Chris would recognize.

Chris' expression went shocked and then confused. "What?" He jerked his head towards Welling. "He wasn't even there yet."

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure he heard all about it -- in explicit detail -- from the people who were there." He met Chris' surprised stare. "Here's the thing, you absolutely can't talk to or about his Majesty like that," Jensen said, lowering his tone.

"What? Wait. I don't get it." Chris shook his head as if to clear it.

"It's disrespectful," Welling said, flatly. He'd been watching them carefully, his stance relaxing just a bit when Jensen had started to explain. Right now, he was standing at attention, his back ram-rod straight.

"So?" Chris was still operating on American time.

"Would you talk about your president that way?" Welling asked, his tone tightly controlled.

Oh, bad example. Chris snorted. "In a heartbeat. The joker is an asshole." And the thing was, Chris would tell the president that to his face. He might be a bit more polite, or not. But he'd say it.

Fuck, this could go south so easily. "Chris, man, it's totally different here. The people love their king and, well, don't like it when someone, an outsider especially, says something... disrespectful."

Chris was still looking at him like he was nuts. And man, this was one of the hardest lessons he'd had to learn.

"Trust me on this, really. You don't want to say anything disrespectful about his Majesty."

Chris' eyes narrowed and he tilted his head just a bit as if he were noticing something else. "You're even referring to him as _your majesty_. He's your...."

Jensen waved a hand to cut him off. "He is. Absolutely is. And I call him _sir_ in public."

It looked like Chris wanted to make a joke or snort, but something must have gotten through because he asked, "No. Seriously?"

Jensen nodded.

"That is so --"

Jensen held up a finger again. "It is the way it is here and I've accepted that. If you can't, well...you're going to need to think about how you feel about that."

Chris opened his mouth and then closed it again. "Okay. Right. Is someone going to explain the rest of the rules to me? Because sending me in blind is _never_ a good idea."

"I believe I can help you out," Welling said, his tone slightly warmer.

"We're good now? Or do you need me to apologize or something?" Clearly Chris didn't want to do that, but it was also clear that he would.

"I think it will be fine. I believe his Majesty understands it was a tense situation." Jensen breathed out. "Tom, if you could speak to whoever is upset, and let them know it's been taken care of. While you're at it, maybe give Chris some tips on what he can get away with. Or I can have Ms. Allison explain. She knows all the details."

Chris held out his hands in front of him. "No. Please. Not her. That is one terrifying woman."

Welling snorted at that. "You don't know the half of it."

"Guess it's okay to dis the secretary."

"Anyone, except the king," Jensen said. Whatever issue Jared had with Chris, he wouldn't hold what happened this afternoon against Chris.

"Gotcha." Chris folded his arms over his chest. "That princess had better be really pretty for all of this."

Welling raised an eyebrow. "Princess?"

"I keep telling him there are no princesses here, but he insists that he was promised one."

"There are quite a few ladies," Welling smirked. "And one truly scary duchess."

"I want a princess," Chris said, pouting. "Can we get back to work now?"

"I think so," Jensen said, sitting back in his chair.

* * *

Jensen knocked on the door to the suite his parents were staying in, one of the nicest ones in the residential section of the palace. It was the same one he'd stayed in when he'd first come to Montovia. Officially, he was still assigned the suite.

His mom answered the door, dressed in her Sunday church clothes. His father stood in front of a mirror, fiddling with his tie.

"Is this really necessary?" His father pulled off the tie and started again.

"I'm afraid so." It was dinner, but more than that, it was the official meeting for his parents and Jared. Not that they hadn't spent most of the afternoon together, but there had to be an official welcome. "Sorry, dad. There are going to be photographers there."

His father made a growly sound that said he was annoyed, but knew he couldn't do anything about the situation. He folded his arms over his chest and glared at Jensen, but thankfully, said nothing else.

"Ms. Allison has been and gone," his mother said. She sounded, not quite upset, but definitely thoughtful as if she were surprised by what she'd been told.

"She said?" Jensen was almost afraid to ask. He knew that his parents would be expected to follow the royal protocol a lot more strictly than he'd been asked to do. There wasn't anything he could do about it.

The very last thing anyone wanted was to see his parents' faux pas spread across the pages of the newspaper. And it would be. Jensen knew that with unfortunate and utter certainty.

"A bunch of stupid crap about not touching him and not speaking to him unless he talks to us first. Didn't we fight a revolution not to have to do this?" his father asked. "I think it's all ridiculous. Jared is just a man --"

"Actually, Dad, here he's not. He's the king of this country and as such, entitled to a certain amount of respect just because of that." God, didn't he already have this conversation once today? If his father had a problem with that, Jensen would rather they got it on the table before it caused a problem or made it into the press.

His father scowled. "I don't see why I --"

"Because you're a guest in his country. And besides, it's good manners," His mother said. "And we want to be invited back."

That made his father blink. "All right. But I don't have to like it."

Jensen breathed out. Maybe they could all get through this without embarrassment. Jared had been really lax about what was required when it was just him and Bobby, but once it went past them, there was a limit to what those around him would put up with even from his parents. He didn't want to see his father's anger at him be the thing that pushed that limit.

He walked over to his father and took the mangled tie from him. "You should learn to tie one of these things."

"Why? My string tie was just fine for everyone in Texas, but your mom said even my best string tie wasn't appropriate here. Though I did bring it with me just in case." He nodded his head toward the bedroom. "And my good hat."

Jensen laughed and finished tying the tie. "That okay?"

Alan looked in the mirror. "Fine." His father took a breath.

"Why don't you wear your hat tonight?" It would probably make his dad more comfortable. And Jensen was good with anything that might help.

The look of relief on his father's face was worth it. He retrieved his hat from the bedroom and then he stopped in front of Jensen. "If you do marry him, what are you going to be?"

All of the muscles in Jensen's back tensed at once. "Be? What do you mean, be?"

"I think your father is worried about your title." There was a knowing look in her eyes that made him think they had discussed this and it was an issue.

"You're not going to be the queen, are you?" Oh God, he sounded serious.

Jensen wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. How could his father even think such a thing? He forced a laugh. "No. I'll be the prince consort."

"Oh, like Prince Phillip?" His mother smiled. And thankfully, that seemed to be good enough for her.

"Kind of. I'll be the official head of the guard. Which really won't be much different than what I am now." Much to the annoyance of several of the appointed department heads, he had full control. And he used it.

His father nodded, looking relieved.

Jensen probably didn't want to know what they had thought he was going to be doing.

* * *

Jared hurried along the carpeted floors, trying not to look like he was ready to break into a run at any second. He was supposed to have been in the library for drinks, and had got caught up on a phone call. As much as he'd wanted to give Jensen a couple of minutes to talk to his parents before dinner, he didn't want to leave it too long.

He paused to take a breath and told himself not to be nervous as he pushed open the door to the library. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they'd waited for Jensen here. Not even the same month let alone the same day. Damn, he'd been so scared.

And to make the afternoon worse, he hadn't seen Jensen since those few minutes earlier this afternoon. He craved the sight of him right now. Though what he really wanted was going to have to wait.

As he came in, Jordan jumped to his feet and Bobby followed him. Jensen looked up and he stood, too. Kane and the Ackles also stood, but with clear reluctance.

"You're late," Jensen said with a smirk before Jared could say anything. Bless him. That cut the dreadful silence.

"It's your fault." He came to stand next to Jensen, and breathed in the freshly showered scent of him. How he wanted to bury his face in the side of Jensen's neck and lick along the skin there.

"Hey, how is that even possible?" His eyes twinkled.

Jared knew what Jensen was thinking. If he hadn't lured Jared into bed, how could he be blamed for Jared being late? He put a hand on Jensen's arm, all he was allowed to do in public, and squeezed. "I've been trying to sort through the aftermath from this afternoon."

"How could that possibly be Jen's fault? And what are you doing about it anyway?" Kane asked.

Could Kane possibly be as unobservant as he sounded right then? Jared glanced at him. All right, he probably thought he was protecting Jensen. That still didn't make him any less annoying.

"Yeah," Jensen said in a tone the exact opposite of Kane. "What did I do?"

"You saved my son. And your own as well. I issued a statement to that effect. I also said you were going to get a medal for bravery." He looked at Kane. "You, too."

Jensen's smile was bright as sunshine, which made it all the more worth the effort.

Kane smiled, too. "That's all right then. Thanks." Clearly, Kane liked that idea. Well, why not?

Before Jared could say anything else, Ms. Allison appeared at the door. "Sir. Dinner is ready to be served."

"Thank you," Jared said and smiled at her. "We should all go in. There's no formal seating at the table."

"Great!" Bobby opened the door between the two rooms. "It's in here," he said, waving his grandparents through. They hadn't said anything at all during the exchange and Jared supposed they'd had a lot to swallow in the last few hours.

Once they were all seated, Jared held up his wine glass. "Thank you, Jensen and...Mr. Kane for your courage today. I wasn't kidding about the medal either. I'm going to present you both with one at the Christmas ball this weekend."

"Way to go, dad." Bobby beamed at his father.

"Yes, son," Donna said, smiling. "You deserve it."

Ackles just grunted and took a sip of his wine.

"So, can you tell me what you've found out about the people who did this?" Jared asked. He couldn't do anything, but forewarned was forearmed.

Kane glanced pointedly at Bobby and Jordan.

"It's okay, Chris," Jensen said, smiling at both of them.

"You can't talk about this kind of thing in front of them. It's not right." Ackles sounded something more than annoyed. Worried perhaps.

Maybe keeping the knowledge of danger from their children was something they did in the States. "You can't hide it from the boys. Unfortunately, they were witness to what --"

"Right," Bobby said. "We need to know so that we can be on our guard. Sorry, sir. I interrupted again, didn't I?"

Jared smiled at him. "It's okay. And you're completely correct. The more you know, the more you can be on your guard. Would you tell us what happened, Mr. Kane?"

"You know, you could call me Chris." That was possibly the most grudging invitation that Jared had ever received.

But Jared inclined his head. "Please continue," he cleared his throat. "Chris."

"We didn't capture any of them, which was a damned shame. And there is at least one who got away. Of the three we killed, we ran their prints through your database and it came back that they were locals. Everything else is still processing. We should have something more concrete by tomorrow." Kane glanced at him as if expecting a challenge on the information. "What?"

"Thank you," Jared said, tightly. He would have liked to have more information.

"Do you think they'll come back?" Bobby asked, ever so light a note of worry in his voice.

Jensen rubbed the back of his neck. "We don't know, son."

"We'll need to be on the lookout for them," Kane said.

Jared wasn't sure that was going to be enough. Before he could say anything else, the soup was served.

* * *

By the time Jared closed the door behind him and Jensen, he was shaking. He'd been trained to keep control of himself since he was ten, and at any other time, including Sandra's and his father's deaths, he'd managed it. Not now, not today. He had almost lost Jensen. The sheer enormity of that had only just started to sink in.

Jensen pulled off his jacket and tossed it onto the back of the chair in the small sitting room.

"Well, that could have been a lot more awkward than it was."

"I don't want to talk about dinner," Jared ground out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to catch the frayed edges of his control.

"What do you want to talk about?" Jensen asked, turning back to look at him. "What?"

"You are not expendable," Jared said advancing on him, crowding him into the wall beside the bedroom door. "I don't want you to take those kinds of risks."

Jensen's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? I risked my life for my son, and yours. That's not something you can tell me not to do."

Jared understood that on a fundamental level, but it still didn't change the facts. "I don't want to lose you."

"I know. But you'd have done the same thing and you know it."

"Be that as it may, I --"

"You were scared."

Jared didn't say anything. He wasn't going to admit that Jensen was right. That he was being foolish. That he was terrified. That the very thought of life without Jensen in it was not fathomable. And today, for a time, he'd had to consider it.

Instead, he leaned down and kissed Jensen, hard and slow, sliding his hands onto Jensen's face, holding him in place, savoring the taste of him being alive and well under his fingers.

As he always did, Jensen opened to him, his tongue sliding out to wrap around Jared's. The kiss held for a long time, hard and soft. Sweet beyond measure.

Need rose in him, and he started to pull at Jensen's clothes. He managed to get most of the buttons on Jensen's shirt open before he pulled the plackets apart, sending the few remaining flying. He took another breath trying to calm down. Hurting Jensen was simply not an option.

But he should have known that the same need that drove him, fed Jensen as well. He tore the sleeve of Jared's shirt and the side pocket of his trousers as he pulled Jared's clothes off. It wasn't fast enough.

Jared caught Jensen up in a hard embrace, not able to keep any distance between them. He needed Jensen.

Now.

And Jensen's mouth was so soft under his, so giving, so good. He didn't break the kiss as he pushed Jensen down to the floor and slid over him. His hands moved over Jensen's flesh, making sure he was whole and real. There was a bandage on his shoulder and another on his side. He kissed the skin near both of the wounds.

It was too much. He needed Jensen. Driven to take, Jared didn't have time to explore. He closed his mouth over Jensen's cock, letting it slide deep into his throat.

Above him, Jensen moaned, thrusting erratically into his mouth. He loved the sound of Jensen on the cusp of losing control. When Jensen would have put his hands in Jared's hair, he couldn't have that. He moved long enough to take both of Jensen's hands and push them up above his head, before returning to his task.

He loved the taste and the feel of Jensen moving in his mouth. The heavy weight of his desire. The smell of him. The little sounds he made in the back of his throat when he was almost ready to come.

But this time, he wasn't going to let Jensen come. He pulled back. And Jensen whined, "what?"

"Shush, sweetheart." Jared turned him over. "Put your hands above your head again."

Jensen turned back to look at him, a question in his eyes.

"Do it," Jared said. "Please."

Jensen gave him one more look and then did as he asked. He kissed the small of Jensen's back, pulling Jensen up so that his knees were under him. He parted Jensen's cheeks and blew across the heated entrance.

Jensen whimpered.

A wave of pleasure went through him. He bent to lick down the crease. As his tongue moved over his hole, Jensen whimpered again. Jared continued to stroke his tongue over Jensen until the sounds became strangled and pained.

"Please. Please," Jensen begged.

He didn't let Jensen come.

There was a tube of lube under the sofa from the previous week, and Jared reached for it now. He slicked up two fingers and slid them deeply into Jensen.

Jensen moaned and thrust back against them. "Yes. Yes, please."

He opened to Jared's touch with satisfying ease and soon Jared was pushing into him. He barely paused before he started to press in and pull out, slowly at first, and then gaining speed and strength.

"You are mine," Jared said, over and over, as he slammed into Jensen's willing body. "You are mine."

"Yes. Yes. Yes," came Jensen's reply as he thrust back with the same strength. "Yes. Yours."

Orgasm hit him hard, and he went down with it, satisfaction washing over him in waves. In that second, that was all that mattered.

* * *

Jensen sat down on the stone bench in the middle of the garden. He shivered. Winter was colder here than in Texas. Unfortunately, there wasn't anyplace else where he could find a moment by himself. Yet another problem with living here.

Closing his eyes, he took a breath and leaned back against the bench -- then had to shift slightly to ease the strain of the stone against his back. Nothing was ever easy.

Even now, he could still feel Jared's big hands moving over his body with such careful purpose. He smiled. Man, that had been intense. Like something out of a book. It didn't take a genius to figure out why it had gone down like that.

"You okay, man?" Chris' voice made him jump.

"Yeah," he said. His heart was racing. "Fine. Why?"

"You're out here in the cold. Last I heard, you weren't too fond of it." Chris sat down next to him. "The king pissed off that you risked your worthless hide --"

"He understood the necessity of it. It wasn't an issue." And Jared hated it; that wasn't a question either.

"Okay."

"You don't sound like you believe me." Actually that didn't even begin to describe the disbelief that Chris' voice carried.

Chris snorted, but not like he was amused. "I'll believe anything you tell me to believe. You know that."

"He wasn't angry." Jensen thought _helpless_ came a lot closer to what Jared was feeling. "He knows that it's only a matter of time before something like this happens again. With better-trained people."

"We need to find out who was behind this and then see to it that your boys are better prepared for next time." Chris was clearly looking forward to the challenge. Good thing, too, because it wasn't going to be easy to fix. And he already knew he was going to need Chris to help him on this.

"Damned, right," Jensen agreed. But really, that wasn't the issue. "Why are you up?"

"Still not sleeping right. Should have listened when you said not to take that nap. You never said why you were up?"

"Can't sleep, either." And no, he was not going to go into why.

"Getting shot will do that to a person," Chris said. His tone said he was giving Jensen an out if he was looking for it.

Jensen wasn't going to address that either. "It's just a couple of scratches. The mega Tylenol they gave me took care of that."

"Then by all rights you _should_ be sleeping like a baby." And the question of why he was not was on Chris' face.

"Yeah, instead I'm wired for light and sound." Jensen let out a breath and shifted again on the stone bench.

"He didn't hurt ..." Chris waved a finger sort of ambiguously around towards the trees.

Despite the cold, Jensen's cheeks felt hot. "You're kidding, right?"

"Not so much," Chris said his tone changed slightly. "Did he?"

"You think I'd let him?" Did Chris think _he_ could do something about it if Jared had tried to hurt him?

"I think you're not answering the question. Twice." Chris' tone had more of an edge to it. More dangerous.

There was already too much friction between Jared and Chris. "God, you don't know him at all. He didn't and he wouldn't. Ever."

The look Chris slanted him was surprising. It almost seemed like he didn't trust Jensen's judgment. "That's right. I don't know him at all. He's the great unknown in all of this."

Jensen's first instinct was to defend Jared, but the truth was that Chris _didn't_ know him. And if the two of them didn't start getting along, Chris might never know him. "I know him. And love him. You're going to have to trust me."

"But you're coming to all of this very late," Chris said.

"And that has to do with letting someone hurt me, how?" In all the time that he'd known Chris, this was one of the few times that he had no idea where Chris was coming from. "You know me."

"It's been six months. And I haven't talked to you that much." Chris looked out at the garden.

"We talk at least once a week." Most weeks more than that.

"Mostly about nothing," Chris said, still not looking at him.

"What did we ever talk about?" But he was right. They didn't talk much about what was going on with either of them on the phone. He'd missed that so much.

"We used to see each other two or three times a week. Have a beer after work. Party sometimes on the weekend." Chris sounded...upset.

"You jealous?" Jensen asked, not really meaning for it to come out like he was serious.

Maybe." Chris chuckled at what must have been a horrified look. "Not like that, dude. I mean, suddenly this other guy's got all your time. And you're not there anymore."

Jensen looked down. He'd just disappeared out of Chris' life. And it wasn't as if he hadn't missed Chris badly, in some ways more than his folks, and certainly more than any of his other friends, but there had been so much to keep him busy that mostly it had stayed at bay. "I guess I've been spending so much time adjusting to living here --"

"It's been quiet without you around. I figured when you offered the princess --"

"Dude, what would you do if I actually had one to give you?" Because, he didn't think Chris was ready yet. Not for that.

Chris' grin was cocky and smug, but the look in his eyes told the truth of it. "I'd be good with that. Life of luxury and all. Bring it."

"Would you? Really?" Jensen wasn't fooled for one second.

The smile slipped. "It finally occurred to me that Katie would be kicking my ass for not getting on with my life."

He was right, and Jensen was damned glad to hear him finally say something like that. "You're right about that. Been almost three years."

"Two years, ten months, and sixteen days. But who's counting." Chris blew out a breath and looked up for a second. "I'm ready to move on."

"I'll see what I can do about that princess." Or someone.

"You know, I'm expecting love at first sight with that princess." Chris' smile turned wistful, almost sad. "It could happen, you know."

"Well, if it were going to happen, it would happen here." Because if the life he was living wasn't as close to a fairy tale as reality could produce, then he didn't know what was.

"Maybe I'll catch some of your magic." Chris smiled. "Maybe get what you have."

"Sorry, dude, he belongs to me," Jensen said laughing.

"Trust me when I tell you, it's not _him_ I want."

"You might want to rephrase that." Jensen had meant it as a joke.

And Chris didn't even blink. "Don't worry, son. You are so not my type."

"Good thing, too. It would be way too late, even if you suddenly decided I was," Jensen said.

That brought Chris' head up. "Are you saying that --"

"God, no. Joke. Really. It wouldn't even have occurred to me." He would have thought Chris knew that he was in total denial until he met Jared. "Man, if I had even been willing to think those kinds of thoughts -- and trust me when I say I wasn't -- it wouldn't have been about my brother."

There was ever so slight a relaxation of Chris' shoulders. "Okay, no problem."

'You were...thinking that I might..." Jensen couldn't even say it.

"No. Of course not." Chris shook his head. Maybe a bit too quickly.

Jensen glared at him.

"Fine. It did cross my mind once or twice, but I hoped not."

"It wouldn't have ended well." And maybe they should just get the hell off this topic.

Chris just raised an eyebrow at him. "Considering my lack of interest in those kinds of things --"

"Is that what you're calling it?"

"Nope. I know what it's called, I'm just saying..." He laughed for a moment and then sobered, looking right at Jensen. "There's something wrong between you two?"

At least it was phrased as a question. "No. Like I said before, it's...more like everything else and not him. He's the king of a country, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around that."

"It's not like you didn't know that going in," Chris pointed out.

Except of course that he hadn't had a clue. Not even a small one. "He shielded me from a lot of it for the ten days I was here. And then when I stayed..."

"The rules all changed?"

"More like there were rules I had to follow, and more than that, Bobby had to follow them, too." Jensen sighed. "There are so many traditions and protocols. And just a whole other way of doing things."

Oddly enough, Chris seemed to get what he was saying. He nodded. "If you're going to stay here, you got to make a choice to live with it."

"Made it already." Jensen let out a huge sigh. "I'm learning. But it's damned hard sometimes."

"Dude, all relationships are hard in the beginning. This one probably even more so. And not just because he's the freakin' king of the world."

"I know. It's worth it." Jensen bit down on a yawn. "We should go to bed."

Chris stood. "Yeah. We've got work to do in the morning. Don't stay out here too long. You'll freeze to death and then I'll have to explain it to...him."

"I'll go up in a sec." Jensen watched him walk away.

* * *

Jared stood just out of their line of sight. He'd heard them talking and been too curious about their relationship not to listen. Now he felt stupid. He should probably just move away and not let Jensen know he'd been listening. But that felt too much like lying. He cleared his throat.

Jensen jumped and turned to look at him accusingly. "What are you doing here?"

"I woke up alone." Alone and feeling guilty. He'd never reacted like that with anyone. Never been that possessive. "I came to find you."

Jensen looked down at his hands. "I would have been back in a couple of minutes."

He sat down beside Jensen. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No. It was...intense. Exciting." Jensen's face was flushed, even in the cold.

Kane was right about relationships being hard. "I pushed...."

"Yeah, and it was great." Jensen looked right at him. "I've never felt that kind of intensity. And I have no complaints." He paused for a moment. "If I did have any, I promise you, you'd know."

"I hope so," Jared said.

"Were you listening to my conversation with Chris?" Jensen asked.

He nodded, his cheeks heating. It felt like he'd been caught doing something wrong. But it wasn't. And he hadn't tried to keep it a secret. So, why was he so embarrassed?

"Did it help?" Jensen sounded tired, but he took Jared's hand. "It's okay. We're okay."

"Who was Kane talking about?" Jared just couldn't say anything yet.

"His wife Katie. She died about three years ago."

A shudder ran down Jared's spine. That Kane had lost so much hadn't even occurred to him. "I'm sorry. How?"

"Car accident. Drunk driver broadsided her car. They'd been together since college."

There was no good way to lose someone you love, but something like that could leave huge holes in a person's soul. "That's terrible. I guess it makes sense that he'd come here."

"Yeah. He's looking for a new start. And this is a great opportunity to do our jobs at a higher level." Something was off in Jensen's tone, but Jared wasn't sure what it was. Or how to ask about it.

"Is that all?" Jared asked, sliding an arm around Jensen's shoulders.

"For him, yes. For me...." He leaned over and kissed Jared. "For me, it's all about you."

For a second, Jared's chest felt tight. Oh, how he loved it when Jensen said something like that. He reached down and touched Jensen's jaw.

The kiss was soft and sweet and all the things that Jared loved in Jensen's kiss. Jensen turned into him, sliding his arms around Jared's waist.

After a few minutes, Jensen pulled back. "It's just that it's hard..."

I know. I've never had this kind of relationship before," Jared said.

"You were married." Jared didn't mention that Jensen had been married, too.

"And as much as I loved Sandra, I was never in love with her." There had never been any question about that, or about who made the decisions.

"She let you be king of the relationship, too." And of course, Jensen knew that.

"It shows, doesn't it?"

"Pretty much." Jensen kissed him. "I'm not that easy."

"You're not easy at all. It makes it harder, but," he leaned down for another kiss.

"But?"

"Worth it."

* * *

"Lauren Graham just called and she said they think they've found the fourth man," Chris said as he came into Jen's office the next morning.

"She told me." Jensen stood and reached for his weapon. He hadn't expected to catch a break like this. Maybe they could figure out what the perps were after.

"I am going to assist Lauren and her agents with the arrest. You are going to sit back and watch us on that fancy TV screen." Chris nodded toward the plasma monitor.

"The hell I am. I put up with this yesterday because I could see that there was a need. Today, that need has passed." He was not going to get in the habit of letting anyone keep him out of the field. That was so not on.

Chris scowled. "Dude, didn't yesterday teach you anything?"

"Why yes, it taught me that I need to be more involved, not less." If he allowed them to keep him out of things, keep him safe, then he'd be totally useless at his job. And he'd already worked too hard to let that happen.

"Involved, yes. In the field, no." Chris folded his arms over his chest. "We've talked about this already. What part of _you are a target_ don't you get?"

They actually hadn't talked about it at all. Jensen opened his mouth to say something, and Tom appeared in the doorway.

"At this point, sir, you're going to be more of a hindrance to any operation than a help. You're too well known," Tom said, coming into the room to stand next to Chris.

"Since when do you agree with him and when do you call me sir?" Jensen asked, annoyed beyond all measure and knowing that he probably should have expected this after yesterday.

"Since he's right. And to make a point, which seems to work with you." Tom stood in front of Jensen's desk as if he were going to physically restrain Jensen from leaving.

"I am not --"

"Oh, yes you are, dude. And I know you well enough to know that you are perfectly well aware of it. Stop being an ass." Chris glared at him.

From the look on Tom's face, it was pretty obvious that he agreed with Chris. It was equally clear that he wasn't going to get between them.

God, he hated being in this situation. And he hated it even more that Chris _was_ right. "Fuck you, Chris."

"I'm right and you know it." Chris' tone softened. "Let me handle the legwork on this one, okay?"

"Why are they letting you go? You're --"

"Expendable."

"No, you are not," Jensen snapped. "Fuck that noise."

Chris folded his arms over his chest. "I am, too. I'm going to be you, here. And I also know that I'm not going to get that many more chances to do this --"

"I'm not either. So, I want this one."

"It was over for you once you agreed to stay here. You knew you weren't going back into the field." Chris' tone was implacable, hard and obstinate. He glared at Jensen. "How many different ways do I have to say this: You're the target now. Not the shield. I'm sorry, but you're done."

Jensen ground his teeth. He couldn't let this go, couldn't give in. If he did, it would be forever. He'd never get another arrest. "Chris --"

"Seriously man, you've got two choices here. And only one of those choices includes staying with..." Chris glanced at Tom and inclined his head, "staying with his Majesty."

At another time, Jensen would have smiled at the sour look on Chris' face. He hated that what he was saying was true. "Fine."

Chris let out the breath he'd obviously been holding and Tom seemed to stand down.

"I want a detailed account as soon as you get back. And I want to question him."

Tom started to say something, but Jensen cut him off. "Non-negotiable."

"Right," Chris said. "Lauren said she was sending her best people with us."

"I've always had your back." Jensen breathed out slowly, trying to let go of his anger at the situation.

"Yeah. And don't think I haven't missed it, but Jen, man, you're in a different place now." Chris looked at him. "You and me both have to accept that."

"You'll be in on this side of the desk soon enough," Jensen said, running a hand through his hair.

Chris just nodded. "I know. And I'm not crazy about it, either. But I accepted it when I accepted the job."

With better grace than Jensen. "When do you go?"

"About fifteen minutes," Tom said. "They'll pick you up at the front gate."

"You're not going either?"

"I know where I'm going to do the most good." Of course he did. Perfect fucking Tom Welling.

Chris started to move away. Jensen said his name and he turned back. But there was nothing to say. Nothing he could say that would make this better. He was sending his best friend into danger without covering his back. How much did this suck?

But Chris smiled. "Yeah. Princess. Make her rich, too."

"Gotcha," Jensen said.

At the door, Tom held his hand out for Chris to precede him.

* * *

That he'd let Chris do this on his own rankled. Chris wasn't even part of their police force. Well, not yet. After the first of the year, he would be the other deputy director of investigations. He wouldn't be in the field either.

Jensen glared at the TV screen, fighting the need to put his fist through it. Was what he had with Jared worth this? Having to watch a raid that he should be leading on a fucking TV? It wasn't even a question he should be asking. He'd made his choices, and if they hurt, which they did, he couldn't, and truthfully wouldn't, change them.

He closed his eyes. It wasn't as if he wanted to, anyway. It was just that....

Someone cleared his throat and Jensen looked up to see Tom in his doorway. "I take it you saw what happened?"

"Not much to see since the guy wasn't there." Jensen sighed. All of the angst was for nothing; they'd have to do it again. "Was there something else?"

"No." Tom didn't move.

Jensen sighed again. A pissy Tom Welling was not what he wanted to deal with on the best of days. "Say whatever you have to say or let me get back to work."

Tom cleared his throat. "I know this wasn't easy for you."

"You think," Jensen snapped, glaring. "Thank you for stating the obvious. I just sent my best friend into danger without me backing him up. Do you have any idea --"

"Yes. I do," Tom said, glaring back with some force. "I've done it, too."

As much as it might be true, Jensen didn't want to hear it. And he wasn't going to ask. So, he just looked at Tom.

Who met his eyes without blinking. "I've been working as assistant director for four years, before that I was a battalion chief and before that I was squad leader. You may not think we have much crime here, but we do." He paused and took a breath. "I've had friends die. Fortunately, not often. If you're going to be in charge, you're going to have to get used to that."

Jensen knew that. "I'm not used to it yet."

"I'm just saying that I know it's hard."

Hard didn't even start to cover it. Everything in his life was hard right now. And this, this was going to change his relationship with Chris. It had to. It was just one more thing in a long list of things.

* * *

Jared opened the door to his suite. He had two hours before he had to dress for the formal dinner with several old families of Montovia. Even though he and Jensen weren't officially engaged, Jensen's parents would be introduced in preparation for the official announcement.

He hoped to God that Alan Ackles would not say anything that would embarrass them. By all accounts, he'd been sullenly silent, but not rude to anyone today. Or perhaps, to make the biggest impact, he was saving it up for Jared. That would be all they needed. Jared didn't want to think about it.

Right now, all Jared wanted to do was to sit down and put his feet up.

Jensen was sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands.

He let out a sigh. They should probably talk. "Are you all right?" Jared said sitting down beside him and taking his hand.

"Of course. What else could I possibly be?" Jensen's tone was surprisingly bitter. He stood, letting go of Jared's hand. Without another word, he walked into the bedroom.

Wearily, Jared got to his feet. "Jen...Jensen stop."

Jared stood in the doorway, watched Jensen pull clothes out of drawers, and then put them back in.

"What's wrong?" Jared asked.

"Look --" Jensen stopped, and rubbed his hand over his face. "Fuck. It's nothing you can fix."

"At least tell me --" Jared just wanted to know what he was dealing with.

Jensen turned to look at him. His eyes were cold. "Why?"

And that scared Jared more than anything else. He never looked at Jared like that. "Because I need to know what you're upset about to help you fix it."

"Chris went on the raid to get the fourth man from kidnapping attempt yesterday."

Why would anyone let Kane go in the first place? But he knew the answer: Kane was a lot like Jensen in that take-charge kind of way and since Kane would be part of the criminal investigative unit in a few weeks anyway, those in charge just gave way under the combined force of Kane and Jensen's will. "Did you catch the man?"

"No. And I didn't go." Jensen's jaw clenched as he said it.

Jared's first thought was to say of course not, but the look on Jensen's face told him that would be a mistake. "Do they send the director out into the field in Texas?"

"I've never considered myself --"

"Jensen," Jared said patiently. "You're the de facto head of the guard. You outrank every law enforcement officer in Montovia."

Jensen looked down, his cheeks staining pink. "Chris went," he whispered.

"I'm surprised that he did. And I'm sure you and he both realize that he won't be doing that for much longer either. Not if he's going to be part of the new unit you've put together."

"I know that but --"

"He's going to be your deputy. He's going to work on operation planning and not be part of the execution. Just like you."

"It's just one more thing," Jensen said. It worried Jared to hear the defeat in his tone.

His gut twisted. He hadn't expected this from Jensen. Not now. Not after everything else. "In a long line of restrictions?"

Jensen had made his choices. And Jared was grateful beyond words that it had been what it was. It wasn't as if Jensen hadn't known about the restrictions from the beginning. Ms. Allison had explained them in detail. Yet Jensen clearly hadn't really understood.

Damnation.

"I'm just tired of it all." Jensen sat down heavily on the bed.

It had only been six months. What was he going to do in a year? Or in five? Jared forced down his rising panic. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. "Do you want to leave?"

"Do you want me to?" Jensen asked. His tone was desert-dry, desolate, his face pale with shock.

"No! God, never." Jared was across the room, pulling him into his arms and leaning down to kiss him deeply.

Jensen pulled back, scowling up at him, his eyes flashing fire. "Then why the fuck did you ask me that, you bastard?"

"I don't want to hold you in a situation you don't want to be in," Jared said. If Jensen were to leave him, he was fairly certain it would do him in. He'd go on, yes, because duty required it of him. But much of the light in his life would be gone.

"You're the thing that makes the rest of this bearable." Jensen stepped closer, back into his arms, and laid his head against Jared's chest. "The only thing."

Jared breathed out, relief unraveling the twisting in his gut. He put a hand on Jensen's head, his fingers carding through his hair. "Okay. But?"

"But it's fucking hard to change everything. Even if I want to."

"And you don't." Jared was quite aware of the sacrifices Jensen had made to stay with him.

"It isn't even that. I want...I need to be useful."

"And creating a new police force isn't useful?" Because it that were true, Jared had no idea what criteria Jensen could possibly use for useful.

"It is. Just...I'm..." Jensen sighed. "I'm a distinguished expert marksman. Do you even know what that means?"

Jared shook his head. There was probably some nuance to it that he didn't understand, but he was pretty sure it meant that, "you're a good shot?"

"Yeah. And all I get to do here is practice."

"You want to shoot people?" Okay, he sounded as shocked as he felt.

"I want to protect people. That's what I was trained to do."

"You're doing that. Just not in the same way you've done before. More than that, Jensen, you're protecting a whole country. And if that's not enough, you saved both your son and mine yesterday."

"I know. But..." Jensen's shoulders slumped. "I like working in the field. Dealing with people. Being hands-on. And being told I can't do that anymore...hurts."

On top of a whole lot of other hurts, like leaving friends and family. Jared sat down next to him. "It's too much to ask, isn't it?"

"Yes. It would be. If you asked." Jensen put his finger on Jared's lips. "But you didn't ask. I volunteered. More than that, I knelt on a wood floor and begged."

Jared closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "You didn't have a clue what you were asking for."

"True enough." He touched Jared's jaw so he would look at him. "As hard as it is, I'd do it again."

"I can't believe it's worth it to you."

"You are."

There wasn't anything else Jared could say so he put a hand on Jensen's jaw and kissed him. "Thank you."

"Don't. Okay. This isn't selfless; I'm getting something for my troubles." Jensen's hand dropped to Jared's lap, flat against him.

Jared's cock was already straining against his trousers. "I'm willing to give you more for your troubles."

"I think that's a fine idea." Jensen eased his hand into Jared's underwear, his fingers circling him gently.

"We don't have time."

"Nope." Jensen leaned in and kissed him.

Fuck it. They could be late for dinner. Jared opened his mouth, letting Jensen have his way.

* * *

"We still don't have a clue why," Chris paused, and sighed before continuing, "...er...his majesty is the target. This is a constitutional monarchy. Your king doesn't have that much real power."

"He does have a lot of influence. If he comes out for or against something, it has a pretty major impact," Jensen said. "Besides, it might not be Jared they're after at all. My real fear is that it's Jordan. "

Jensen closed his eyes. He didn't want to imagine it. "Jordan is seven years old. It's easy for people to say they won't negotiate with terrorists when it's an adult, even their king. Adults know the score going in. It's impossible when it's a beloved prince. The people would do anything to get him back." He met Chris' eyes. "I'd do anything to get him back."

"So we need to make damned sure that doesn't happen. Not saying with the security as bad as it is, it'll be easy, but we've got good people."

He could hear the plan in Chris' voice. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just what we've always done with any investigation."

"The problem is that this isn't the same thing. It's an ingrained lack of security procedures. It's only been the grace of God that there hasn't been an incident before now. Because the king would have been dead." Jensen's heart squeezed just saying the words.

"Then we start at the beginning and go through everything. I know you've done some of that already."

"Yeah, contingency plans," Jensen said. "It's pretty appalling that after all that work, no one even knew how to implement it."

"They will next time. I think I'll start by riding with the king's guard, looking for ways to plug the holes until we can institute new procedures. You can square that with whoever?"

"Good idea. I'll talk to Lauren and Tom. When were you thinking of starting."

"Maybe later today. He's going out at lunch. I'll just sit in the front seat and watch."

"Yeah, he does that a couple of times a week." Jensen had suggested more than once that maybe he should not go out so much, but Jared wouldn't hear of being _held captive_ in the palace. "You know, I tried to ride with him but --"

Chris' sympathetic look didn't help. "You're the king's lover and the guards couldn't get past that?"

"It was a disaster from the word go. It was the first time I'd realized just how much things had changed for me." Jensen ran a hand over his face.

"Not that you were willing to admit it."

"Not going to now, either." Jensen yawned. He didn't get enough sleep last night.

"You tired?" Chris asked, thankfully changing the subject.

"Up later than usual last night." He wasn't going to go into details on that.

But Chris smirked knowingly. "The dinner party wouldn't have run so long if it hadn't started over an hour late."

He could feel the blush creep across his face, tightening his skin. "Yeah. My fault on that."

"I'm sure it was both of you working together. I was surprised at how annoyed some people were about it." Chris still didn't quite get it.

"I'm sure. It was rude beyond belief. But you know, we needed the time together."

"Things okay now?"

"We're working them out. But it's hard."

"And made more so by all the crap that comes along with it." Chris paused and then shook his head. "You finally decide to go gay and you can't choose a regular guy from Texas. No, of course not, you gotta choose a fucking king to do it with."

"Dude. Only the best for me," Jensen said with a laugh.

Chris' smile slipped a little. "Is he really?"

"Yeah. He is. Really. He's _the one_.

"I'm getting that. You gave up a lot to be with him. I was just wondering if he appreciates that."

Despite everything, sometimes Jensen wondered the same thing. "I think he does."

Chris looked pretty skeptical. "He'd better."

"Thanks, man."

"So, how are your folks settling in? I mean after everything, they got to be stressed out. God knows, I was expecting a vacation before I started to work here, but you didn't even let me have a whole day before putting me to work."

"You complaining?" Jensen asked. Because Chris was right. He'd pushed Chris into the whole damned thing face first and it was sink or swim. Though Chris had done pretty well with all the change and all the rules and everything. Much better than Jensen himself had done.

A half-smile formed on Chris' face. "A vacation would have been nice."

"No rest for the wicked."

"Apparently not."

"My folks are good. Or my mom is anyway. Jared's mom, Sherry, took her downtown yesterday to help her get a ball gown for Saturday night." Jensen was grateful for her help. It had gone a long way to ease his mom's concerns about everything. "Nothing shopping can't fix."

"I've been told that." Chris laughed. "I've brought my good suit. I'm assuming that will do." There was ever so slight a question in Chris' tone.

"Pretty much. I don't have to worry about it anymore. Someone came and took my measurements a while back and now my dress clothes magically appear. Someone even lays them out for me." Jensen smiled at Chris' look. "It's easier than doing it myself. Besides, it's not like I give a damn as long as it's comfortable."

Chris laughed. "You got a point. Where do I sign up?"

"You need to marry --" He stopped. God, he was going to say he had to marry royalty.

"Jen --"

"Nothing. It's tough to wrap my head around sometimes."

"I get that," Chris said. And what was funny was that Jensen knew he meant it. He did get it.

"But you know, it's worth it to me."

"I get that, too."

* * *

Jared looked up at the knock on his office door. Well, Ackles had finally turned up. More than three hours after Jared had asked to talk to him. If this had been just about him, he'd would have sent the man on his way, but unfortunately, it wasn't. So, he'd bite his tongue and try one more time to be polite.

Ackles stood silently in the doorway of his office, radiating belligerence.

"Mr. Ackles. I believe I asked to see you several hours ago." Jared was proud of himself for keeping his tone perfectly civil.

Even though Ackles had only been here a few days, he'd managed to make quite an impression. It was getting harder and harder to deal with him, too. Ackles needed to be set straight.

"I'm sure everyone around here jumps to do your bidding, but --"

"You can be assured that they do." Jared waved his hand at a chair in front of his desk. "Please come in and close the door."

"I'm not a student coming to the principal's office," Ackles growled. "I'll stand. Thank you very much."

Which meant that Jared had to look up at him. But really, he could let Ackles have this one. Since the rest of this conversation was not going to go his way. "As you please."

"So what did you want?" There was more than anger in his voice.

What it was exactly, Jared wasn't quite sure, but he'd been trained to read people and there was definitely something there.

To buy a few more seconds, he pressed the intercom on his phone. "Ms. Jackson, would you please call Mr. Osborne and Ms Reynolds, and let them know I'm going to be a few minutes late for lunch."

That got a surprised look from Ackles. "You're having lunch out of the palace?"

Just like a real person might. What, did Ackles think that Jared spent all of his time cooped up in his office? "I try to get out at least a few times a week. It's easier to meet people away from here." Especially when dealing with people from his business.

"You still haven't mentioned what you wanted to see me about?" Ackles' tone was grating on every last one of Jared's nerves.

"I know that Ms. Allison has explained the situation to you, but I wanted to reiterate that whatever problems you have with me, you may not talk about them with anyone outside of the palace."

"And who is going to stop me?" Ackles folded his arms over his chest, clearly thinking he had the upper hand.

With his temper barely in check, Jared stood up, straightening to his full height. "I will have you thrown out of the country before I let you continue to embarrass Jensen with this behavior."

"I would never do anything to --" Ackles blinked at him as if he'd honestly never considered his rudeness might go beyond Jared himself.

Maybe it needed to be spelled out. "What do you think the press is going to do when they find out that Jensen's father doesn't approve of his coming marriage?" Jared looked down at Ackles. "When they learn the reason why, they will crucify him in the press. This is not a country that takes kindly to prejudice of any kind, but against their king, they would be incensed."

"It's not prejudice --"

Good God, he simply couldn't believe that kind of naivete. "Oh, but it is. You don't want your son to marry me because you don't approve of homosexuality. My people will not appreciate that."

"Well, then Jensen will just have to leave, won't he." Ackles looked pretty pleased with that idea.

Laughing in his face probably wouldn't help the situation. Instead, Jared simply said, "Jensen will never leave me."

"Are you so sure of that?" But there was a note of uncertainty in Ackles tone.

"Yes. I am. Jensen waited twenty-nine years before giving in, and he did it for me. I _know_ he'd never leave me. But your disapproval will hurt him and undoubtedly create a huge scandal. Especially if you actually tell the press about it."

"I don't understand why anyone cares that much."

"Mr. Ackles, you're not stupid." Rude, yes. Stupid, no. He sat back down and waved Ackles to a chair. This time, Ackles sat.

"People are insanely curious about royalty. Add to that I'm marrying an American. The press is already all over it." He met Ackles' eyes. "The wedding will no doubt get worldwide coverage. Do you think they will ignore anything that will sell papers?"

Ackles was silent for a count or two. "I hadn't considered that it would matter." And that was the final answer. Ackles wasn't thinking about anything other than his own damned prejudice and dislike of the situation.

"Good God, man, look around you." Jared waved his hand around his office. "You're not in Texas anymore. And your son is going to be my consort --"

"Don't call him that! Jesus that's…." It was clear that Ackles was struggling for words. His face was red and his mouth was twisted into a scowl.

"What would you prefer I call him?" Jared managed to keep his tone even. Was there some connotation to that word he'd missed? Or perhaps Ackles didn't want his son to marry another man and no term would satisfy him.

"Not that. I can't bear that you'd call him that." He said it as if being Jared's consort was the worst fate he could imagine for his son.

In his life, Jared had never had this much trouble keeping his temper in check. He took a deep breath and tried again to speak reasonably. "Jensen is my lover. And I will do anything to protect him from what would hurt him, and that includes you. There is nothing you can do about either of those things."

Ackles looked down. "Do you think I don't know that? I do. But honest to God, I don't know how he can choose to be this way."

"It's not a choice. It is how he is and how I am, and how many other people are. And your approval isn't required."

"I know that, too." And Ackles sounded angry and helpless at the same time. "I don't mean that exactly."

"What do you mean?" It was like he was only hearing half of this conversation.

"I just don't understand why he would choose you and this life over his family? Over everything he has in his life at home?" The distain in Ackles voice was the last straw.

"Just who do you think you are?" Jared took a breath and let it out. "You come into my country, into my home; you insult me, worse yet, try and inflict your outdated morality on me and my lover."

"I'm Jensen's father. And I have the right." Ackles sat up straight, clearly ready for a fight.

Jared was having none of that. He stared Ackles down. "Not anymore. You've got no say in what he does. And you damned well know it."

When Ackles said nothing, Jared plowed on, "I was quite serious. I will have you thrown out of the palace, out of the country. And make no mistake, you will not be allowed back in."

Ackles' eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't do that."

The audacity of that statement was too much. Jared clenched his fists. "Wouldn't I? I already said that I'd do anything to protect Jensen. Don't tempt me."

"I could talk to the press," Ackles threatened.

But Jared could hear the reluctance. It occurred to him, finally, that this might be Ackles' last-ditch effort to make Jared do something to alienate Jensen. Which wouldn't happen. And Ackles was probably starting to realize that.

"What do you want? I don't see you going to the press. You don't want to hurt your son. And I think you know that it would. Badly." Jared was gambling that Ackles cared more about Jensen than he did his own anger. That Ackles wouldn't just give them up to the press.

The fight seemed to go out of Ackles. His shoulders slumped. "I just don't understand any of this. Why after all this time? Why you?" His tone was softer than it had been since they had started talking.

"I'm afraid that I can't answer that." But Jared was desperately grateful that Jensen had chosen to stay with him.

Ackles glared at him. "You can't or you won't?"

"I can't. I don't know why." And really, Jared didn't care. He was going to hold onto Jensen for as long as he was allowed to. If the other day had taught him nothing else, it had shown him, in no uncertain terms, that life without Jensen wasn't an option that he could possibly contemplate

Ackles glanced across the desk at him. The anger was banked, but it wasn't gone. "I thought you would be different. That you wouldn't care as much as you do."

This conversation could not get any more bizarre. Jared shook his head. "You thought that Jensen would choose someone who would not love him? Or is it that you thought he would be somehow be humiliated by being my lover?"

"No," Ackles said, and then paused. "I mean, I didn't think he would be mistreated. He'd never put up with that, but I just didn't think it would be like this."

"Like what?" Because he had no idea anyone, even from a repressed place like Texas, could really think like that.

"Like he's going to be honored and respected. That the work he is doing would be this important. That you would care enough to throw _me_ out of your country because I might hurt him."

Jared dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand for a moment. The pain took the edge off. "Do you know your son at all?"

Surprisingly, Ackles shook his head. "Not nearly as well as I thought I did."

Maybe they could work this out after all. Ackles, it seemed, did love his son.

Before Jared could say anything else, Ackles took a deep breath. "I can't, in all honesty, tell your press that I'm happy about the situation, when I am not. I'm not going to lie."

"Would you be willing to not talk to the press at all?" That wasn't ideal, but it would help in the short term. Long term, he'd need to have Ms. Allison work on it.

"I've avoided it so far. But I'm not sure how much longer they are going to put up with that. There were a couple of reporters downtown this morning who just would not let us be." At least he sounded like he was more angry at the reporters than with Jensen and him.

"All right. We'll do the best we can with this. And hope we can avoid an international incident." Jared met his eyes and held them. "You can say whatever you please about me in private, but you are going to have to follow royal protocol when we're in public." Before Ackles could open his mouth to say anything, Jared shook his head. "I didn't make up these rules. The people of this country _will not_ tolerate rudeness like you've been displaying."

Ackles nodded. "I wouldn't deliberately do anything to hurt my son. I do love him. Even if I can't approve of his choices."

He'd take this as a win. It was probably as good as he was going to get with Ackles.

* * *

Kane was waiting with his guard detail when Jared left his office. After irritation, Jared's next thought was to demand to know why he was there. But clearly, he was working. So, Jared took a breath and let it go.

"I'll be riding with your guard detail today…Your Majesty," Kane explained as Jared raised an eyebrow in question.

It was unbecoming of a monarch to smirk at someone else's discomfort. So, Jared forced a smile. "Thank you. We appreciate your efforts."

To his credit, Kane just nodded.

The security people and Kane went in to the restaurant ahead of him. Even if his secretary called, he hated being late. It didn't matter that he couldn't avoid it. Some things were just bad manners.

Jared followed his security into the restaurant.

In the places that he frequented, there was a dining room set aside for his lunches. Security precautions had to be taken, of course, but he was glad to get out of the palace. After a while, it was oppressive to stay inside day after day.

The maitre d' smiled and bowed as Jared approached. "Your Majesty. It's good to see you, sir. How is Prince Jordan? And young Robert Ackles? "

"Both are quite well. You know how children are. They bounce right back." Unlike adults, who were likely to have nightmares for weeks. "I hope you and your family are well, Mr. Rovers."

"Yes, indeed, sir. Thank you for asking. Ms. Reynolds and Mr. Osborne are waiting for you." He held out his hand towards the room near the back.

Jared smiled and started toward it. As he got to the doorway, Joel Osborne and Jeni Reynolds both stood. Jeni was CFO for his firm, and Joel was his corporate attorney. There was a round table in the middle of the room and another table to the side where his guards could sit.

Before he got to his table, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye that shouldn't have been there. He turned sharply as a shot rang out.

"Drop it," he heard Kane shout. He was pushed down as people started to scream. Another shot rang out. This one went by his head.

"Everyone freeze," a deep voice said. "Or I shoot the king."

He looked up to see someone with a pistol trained on him. A dark-haired man stood just inside the door with his back to the wall.

"Drop your gun," Kane yelled at the top of his lungs, as he moved to stand over Jared. "Drop it! Now! Drop the gun!"

It all happened so fast that Jared wasn't exactly sure what was going on. Except that the gunman's pistol was on Kane, not on him.

Then another shot came from somewhere, splattering blood everywhere. Onto him, his face and his clothes. His suit was probably ruined.

For one second, everything was silent and still.

The gunman was on the floor, presumably dead. Jared looked up.

One of his guards was lying beside him, blood pooling under his head. His eyes were open, but he wasn't moving.

It was as if everyone took a breath and then moved. People rushed at Jared from all sides. He was helped to his feet.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" Kane asked with more deference than he'd ever heard from him before.

He nodded. "Yes. Fine. Good work getting him so quickly." He was pushed into the limo and it took off at top speed, he didn't even know where they were heading.

* * *

The entire incident had probably lasted five minutes, but Jared was drenched in sweat and shaking.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. It wasn't the first time someone had taken a shot at him, but it was the first time he'd ever looked into their eyes. It was also the first time he'd seen them die.

Jensen and six armed guards were waiting for him when the limo pulled into the courtyard.

"I'm fine," he said, as Jensen pulled him through the door. "Kane's fine, too. He said to tell you he was cleaning up after me."

"I'm never letting you out of the palace without me," Jensen hissed, tightening his hand on Jared's upper arm. "What happened?"

Jared told him what he knew, which didn't seem like a lot. "Do you know who it was? How they got to me?" Not that knowing would make much of a difference.

"We'll have to wait until we get an ID on the shooter." Jensen led him towards the stairs.

"What else?" Jared asked. There was more. He could feel it.

"We think one of your guards might have been in on it," Jensen snarled. "We'll need to run background checks on everyone."

"What? You're joking? Hasn't that been done already?" Jared knew enough about security to know that everyone should have had a background check.

"I was told that it had been," Jensen said. But he didn't look like he believed it.

"What happened?" Jared asked.

Jensen shook his head. "We don't know. Standard protocol is that you change restaurants every time you go out, and you change the times you meet with your people." He put his other hand on Jared's arm, holding him still. "You do know that it would be better if your people came here."

"I'd never get out of the palace that way." Jared stepped back and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not going to be a prisoner of my own security. Nothing like this has happened before."

"And we're going to make sure it doesn't happen again." Jensen breathed out a long breath. "You'd be safer --"

"No." Jared wasn't going to argue about it, either. He understood the need to take care. Only too well. But there was no way he was going to be trapped in the palace.

"Okay." Jensen nodded once, but it was clear he wanted to argue about it.

For one second, Jared closed his eyes. He loved Jensen so much. But nothing would make him back down. "You know, this whole thing didn't seem very well planned. And for me to say that must mean it was worse than I think it is."

"Yeah. The attempt on the boys was poorly planned and even more poorly executed. I would almost say that the person or persons involved wanted to get caught."

"Why do it then?"

"A lot of times the person's emotions are so out of control that they act out and they don't want to actually murder anyone, they just want someone to notice their rage."

Jared still didn't understand, but he nodded anyway. It was likely that he never would

Jensen's brow furrowed. "What was different about today?"

"Different, how?" Because as far as he could see, it was the same as any other day.

"Did you do something that wasn't planned? Sometimes, that triggers the subject to act rather than wait."

"I was late. Would that matter?" He didn't want to think that he'd given that guy a break to get at him. Jared shivered.

Jensen stepped closer. "You were? Why?"

"I had a talk with your father and it delayed me by almost half an hour." When Jensen started to open his mouth, Jared glanced around and shook his head. Oh, he was not going into that conversation now. "Which we can talk about later."

The look in Jensen's eyes said he understood and he was going to let it go for now.

"Maybe that gave them the change in routine they needed to strike. Tuesday was the beginning of the school holiday and only half a day." Jensen ran his hand lightly up Jared's arm. "Let's go up. The boys are waiting for you."

The boys. Of course, they knew. He took a breath and let it out slowly. Jared pulled Jensen into his arms and held him close for a moment, just drinking in the smell of him. He stepped back after far too short a time. What he wanted was to cling to Jensen and he couldn't. He needed to see the boys.

But they shouldn't see him in blood-splattered clothes. Ms. Allison was hovering by the staircase. He took off his jacket and held it out. "Can you please get rid of this for me, Ms. Allison?"

She took it gingerly. "Of course, sir." She looked down at it and he could see the shiver run through her. "I don't think it can be cleaned --"

"Burn it," Jensen said through his teeth. He put a hand on Jared's back. Jared knew he should remain aloof, step back from the gesture, but he couldn't. All he could do was lean into it.

"Let's get you upstairs and cleaned up." The fingers on Jensen's hand spread, moving slightly.

As much as he wanted to wash the morning off his skin, there were things that needed to be done first. "I think I should see the boys first."

Jensen nodded.

* * *

"You know, I wasn't afraid for myself," Jared said as soon as they were out of sight of the main entrance and the guards. "I didn't want to die of course, but I thought about you and I thought about what would happen to Jordan."

Jensen looked at him, his eyes blown open. His fear wasn't banked at all. It was there, raw and fierce and barely under control. "What do you mean? Wouldn't Jordan become king?"

Of course, he wouldn't know how things worked here. Jared shook his head. "At seven, he couldn't. He'd need a regent to rule for him until he came of age."

The fear in Jensen's eyes had receded back under control as he let out a long breath. "Wow. That could be sticky."

"Pretty much, yeah. But, after last year, I made sure my mother was to be his guardian. And Sandra's father after that. When we marry, you'll be his guardian first." He hadn't actually asked, just assumed that Jensen would want Jordan. Like a great many other things, they should have talked about it before now.

Jensen nodded solemnly. "Of course. There's no question with that. And I assume your mother can't be the regent?"

His chest felt a little tight, but he was glad he'd made the assumption. "She's still a commoner. So, I've asked my aunt Samantha to be regent if anything happens to me."

"The Duchess?" Jensen asked, with a smile. "I like her."

"So do I. For all the generations of Montovian royalty in her family, she's very down to earth." Jared laughed. "You know, there was a small contingent that wanted to make her the heir to the throne, rather than me."

"What did she say to that? Did she want it?" Jensen choked, clearly shocked by the idea.

"She's in the same boat as me when it comes to legitimacy. Her parents, like mine, married after the fact, or she might have had a valid claim. Not that she wanted to rule." Jared had often wondered what life might have been like if her claim had been more legitimate than his. He supposed he'd never know.

"Does anyone actually want to rule?"

"We're trained to do our duty from birth. Or ten years old, in my case."

Jensen took his hand and led him toward the library. "We should go see the boys."

* * *

Jordan nearly knocked him down when he came in. "Sir, you really must stop doing this," his son's voice shook, and he clung to Jared's neck.

"I'm okay, son. I'm not hurt." Jared wrapped an arm tightly around Jordan's shaking frame.

"But this keeps happening," Bobby said from beside him, reaching for Jared's hand, holding it tightly.

"He's right." Jensen was beside him. "We need to make sure you're safe."

Jared closed his eyes and set Jordan down. He touched Bobby's hair. "I'm all right. Really."

The Ackles rushed into the room. "We just saw on CNN that someone," Donna stopped at the sight of him. "Are you all right? My God, I can't believe that someone tried to...again!"

"I'm fine. It was only a few minutes." Bad news travels fast, doesn't it?

"Does this happen often?" Ackles looked appalled that it might.

"All of it seems to be related to one person," Jensen said. "I think we need to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Jordan nodded vigorously. "Yes, you do."

"Are you going to be able to find the person who did this?" Bobby asked.

"He was shot at the restaurant this afternoon," Jared said. He hated to even think about what it had been like.

"Was the attempt to get Jordan also part of this?" Donna asked.

"We think it might be, mom, but we're not sure yet. I need to get back to my office to check with Lauren and Chris and see what we can come up with." Jensen stepped closer. "You okay?"

What else could he be? Jared nodded. "Of course. I'm going to change and go back to my office, too. I have a lot of work this afternoon." He'd have Ms. Jackson set up a teleconference with Joel and Jeni later this afternoon. He needed to make sure they were both okay. And even if he weren't hungry, he'd also better have her send out for some lunch. And there was the report --

"You're going back to work after this?" Ackles asked, his face showing his surprise.

Jared blinked. What did he think Jared was, a coward that would take to his bed after someone tried to hurt him and his? He straightened his shoulders and looked down at Ackles. "Of course I'm going back to work. To do anything else would allow those who try to harm me to win."

Something that looked like admiration lit Ackles' eyes for a second and he nodded. "You're right."

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Kane said, slouching in the open doorway of Jared's office.

Did Kane really think that if Jared hadn't wanted to see him, that he'd have been allowed in unannounced? He reined back the urge to snap. "Yes, please come in and close the door behind you."

Kane hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat in the chair in front of Jared's desk.

There were some things about being king that Jared hated. Being gracious at all times was probably at the top of the list.

He took a breath. He'd do what needed to be done, even if he choked on it. "Let me come right to the point. I'm in your debt, Mr. Kane. You've now saved my life as well as that of my son. There is nothing I can do to repay you for that."

Kane looked nonplussed. "I'm not sure I get what you're trying to say."

Why did Kane always have to be so damned difficult? "I'm trying to thank you."

The look on Kane's face changed from surprised to pleased. In fact, his eyes lit with his pleasure. "Oh. You're welcome. But really, that's my job."

"It's actually not. And even when you officially start your job, you're not a guard. You aren't...won't be paid to risk your life like you did today. You're --" Jared wasn't sure what he was exactly. Jensen had created Kane's position, and all the other positions as well, Jared had no idea what was involved. In truth, he didn't need to know.

For a moment, Kane was quiet, just looking around Jared's office, clearly taking in the pictures on the walls, and the antique desk that had been Jared's father's. Every single detail.

When he was done, Kane cleared his throat. "You got to understand something here. Jen's the best friend I ever had. He stood by me at the worst time of my life, a time when most people would have walked away."

Jared had no idea what to say to that or, more important, what Kane was trying to say with it. "I do understand what he means to you."

"I'm thinking maybe you don't. I would do anything for him."

Jared did not like how that came out and it must have showed on his face because Kane laughed.

"Not like that. He's closer to me than a brother. If I had one, which I don't, or maybe I do, and, you know, it's him. You get the picture."

Okay, he got it. But he still didn't like it. "Mr. Kane --"

"I said you could call me Chris, the other day. I did notice you didn't do the same." Kane met his eyes.

"I know." Aside from family, no one called him by his given name. Even his few friends from school or his office deferred to his title. "We're in an awkward situation. I wouldn't do anything to harm your friendship with Jensen."

Before he spoke again, Kane let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, once I would have said that you couldn't. But now, I'm pretty damned sure he'd choose you over me. Believe it or not, I'm good with that. It's the way it should be. But you forcing it would probably hurt your relationship with him."

"I'm aware of both of those things." He didn't doubt for a moment he could send Kane home and Jensen would remain. But it would come at a cost that Jared was not prepared to pay. Which also meant that he was going to have to find common ground with Kane.

"Then I still don't get why I'm here." Kane held up his hand. "I know. You're thanking me. Except that you're not. I get the feeling you're trying to tell me something. Why not just say it and be done, okay?"

So Kane wasn't half as stupid as he made himself out to be. That made Jared smile. "You don't have a lot of patience for subtlety, do you?"

Kane chuckled. "Nope. Not so much. And I know for a fact, Jen doesn't either."

"Perhaps not. But he can get away with a great deal more than you can." And of course, that was the bottom line, the one that Kane needed to accept if he were going to stay here.

"I'm getting that. I'm trying to wrap my head around the whole monarchy thing here. It's hard for a boy who grew up in Texas."

Even though it wasn't a fair comparison, Jared felt compelled to point out, "I'm a boy who grew up in Texas, too."

"Yeah, but at ten years old you got yourself transplanted and ended up king of the world." Kane's smirk was not becoming.

Sometimes he wondered if they were even speaking the same language. "You have an interesting way of expressing yourself. King of the world?"

Kane laughed again. This time, though, it lacked its usual edge. "When Jen and I got the detail in Texas to guard you, that's what we called you. How the hell were we supposed to know we'd end up here?"

"I couldn't have guessed it. Though I'm extremely grateful." More grateful than he could or would express to Kane.

"You really are, aren't you?"

He met Kane's eyes. "More than you will ever know."

"Not sure I want to, but yeah. I know how you feel about him. He deserves to have someone feel that way about him."

"I believe we finally agree on something." Jared smiled tightly. "So, thank you. I was planning to give you and Jensen medals at the ball Saturday night. Now, there will be two for you."

"Nah. That's too much. I think one is fine." Kane leaned back in his chair, relaxing. "Anything else?"

Jared knew they weren't going to get much farther today. They'd moved forward and that was all that they'd needed to do. There was just too much friction between them to dismiss it that easily. It was hard to believe that a few days had created this. "I'd like to know who did this to my family and why."

"We still don't know why, but we think the guy, Devon Streeter, was tied to Steven Ventnor. We think he might have been his...bit on the side, so to speak." Kane blew out a breath. "We think Ventnor put him up to it."

"So, it was revenge."

"Badly planned revenge. The guy just wasn't that smart. From what we've been able to piece together, we don't think he really wanted to do it. We think that Ventnor was pushing him from jail." Kane shook his head. "Still, Streeter should never have been able to get as far as he did. With the boys or with you."

"You and Jensen will see that it doesn't happen again?"

"The rest of the guard will help too. But good training and good tactics will go a long way to see that this never happens again."

Jared nodded. He did feel safer with Jensen and Kane around. "Very good."

Kane dropped the chair back to the floor. "Okay, so we're good? I'll try to live with all the pomp and circumstance and crap. But man, it's a pain in the ass."

At another time, he might have let himself become irritated by Kane's tone. But now, he could see it was his way of dealing with an unknown situation.

"I do understand your need to be...forthright in the way that you speak. However, all of that 'crap' is a fact of life here." Jared pointed a finger at him. "Please don't say anything like that in public. You're tied very closely to the crown, and it would not go over well in the press."

"I can live with that." Kane stood. "I know we haven't gotten along so well so far, but --" He shrugged. "We're going to be seeing a lot of each other, you know?"

It went without saying that Jared could easily avoid him if he wanted to. But that might mean avoiding Jensen when Kane was around. Which would cut down on the amount of time he could spend with him. Which wasn't acceptable. "I do. I don't want to put Jensen between us."

"Wouldn't be pretty," Kane said, and looked longingly at the closed door. "We're good?"

Maybe for once, Jared needed to make the first move. Rather like he'd had to with Jensen, though he wanted a different result. Jared stood and came around his desk, he held out his hand. "Yes. We're good. And you can call me Jared in private."

Kane took it and smiled. "Right. I'm getting the whole _Your Majesty_ thing in public."

"You hate it, don't you?"

"Oh, you don't even want to know."

But Jared did. And appreciated that Kane and to a greater extent Jensen were willing to put up with it.

* * *

"Knock, knock."

Jensen looked up from his laptop to see his father standing in the doorway of his office.

"Dad? Is there a problem?" Because after this afternoon, Jensen was not sure he could deal with anything else.

"I was hoping to talk to you about something." His father's tone made him feel like a kid who'd done something wrong.

Jensen was too damned old for that. "What did you want to talk about?"

His father made a point of looking around. "Not here."

Jensen glanced at the clock. Two-thirty. Damn. He'd actually meant to get some lunch earlier than this. "Let me just clean up this stuff. I need to get some lunch. Do you want to join me?"

"I'm not hungry, but if you'd like to get something, I'll go along."

That tone made Jensen's appetite vanish. He locked and closed his laptop.

"Don't you have to turn it off before you close it?" Alan asked as Jensen stepped away from the desk.

"No. I locked it and it's encrypted." Jensen stopped beside his father. "I'm assuming you want to talk in my rooms?" Which was the best option for privacy. When Alan nodded, Jensen held out his hand for him to go ahead of Jensen.

His father was silent for a few minutes after they sat down on the couch.

Then he breathed out and seemed to gather his courage around him. "I had a talk with Jared before everything happened this morning."

"He mentioned that you had when he got back. What did you talk about?"

That got a chuckle out of his father. "You. Was there another topic we would discuss?"

Jensen could hope. "Did you come to an understanding?"

"Not really. I can't be something I'm not. And I can't say I approve of something when I don't." He met Jensen's eyes. "I don't approve of this. And I can't accept it."

"Then why did you come here?" Jensen closed his eyes, glad now that he hadn't eaten anything. It killed him that his father couldn't accept what he was and what his choices were. It hurt so much worse than his brother not being here did. "Did you think you could change my mind?"

"I was hoping --"

It was like a knife stuck into him and twisted. "If it were ever possible, it's not now. I am sorry you don't approve. I am sorry you can't accept this. But Jared is my lover." There was something freeing in saying that.

"What if I said I was going to walk away?" He sounded serious.

Jensen stood and put his hands on his hips. "You're my father and I love you, but if you make me choose, you won't like the choice. Because I will choose Jared. And if you walked away, that would be _your_ choice."

Alan was silent for a moment or two and then said, "I thought so." He didn't even seem surprised. "Why don't you sit back down."

Jensen did as he asked.

"Is what you have with him really worth all the trouble you're going through to have it?" Alan asked and it sounded like he really wanted an answer.

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt." He looked right at his father. "It's worth whatever I have to pay for it."

"I don't understand that attitude. More than that, I don't like it. How can you want something that's so wrong?"

"It's not wrong to me. It's as right as anything has ever been in my life."

"Well it is wrong to me."

"I'm sorry for that." And he was, truly. But he wasn't going to change who he was to please his father. Or anyone else for that matter.

"Then --"

God, he still didn't get it, still didn't understand this wasn't a choice. "I can't not be this way. Denying it didn't make me not be this way." He looked right at his father. "It only made me miserable."

"You never seemed miserable. With me, and your mom and Bobby."

"I was. For years, I wanted something and I couldn't even name it. And then, when I could, I knew I could never have it."

His father shook his head as if to deny Jensen's words. "But what about Gloria Jean?"

Jensen looked down at the polished wood grain of the table and traced his finger along it. "I tried to want her. She was as close as I came to wanting a woman."

"But why her?"

He'd thought a lot about that over the years. What made him try with her when he hadn't with so many other women? "Chris had just started going with Katie."

Alan's eyes widened. "You were jealous of --"

It was kind of amusing that everyone wanted to think that about him and Chris. He didn't get where they were getting it from though. Chris had always been closer to a brother than anything else. And he'd been a hell of a lot more accepting than Josh had been. "Not exactly the way you mean it."

"Then how?" Alan asked.

Jensen sat back against the sofa with a sigh. Why was this so hard to say? "I was jealous of the time he spent with her. But more than that, I wanted to have what he'd found. I desperately wanted someone in my life."

"But if she'd --"

"Even if Gloria Jean had stayed, it wouldn't have worked." He couldn't explain without talking about sex and pleasure and desire and those were not subjects he could talk to his father about. "I didn't want her enough."

"But you were able to --"

"Dad. I could. But --" God, how could he say that he didn't enjoy it. That it left him feeling hollow. That he _knew_ something was missing. And that he didn't want to admit what it was.

Alan's face was red and he sighed. "I thought she was the one."

"Who would make me straight?" Jensen closed his eyes and shook his head. "Jared's the one." He didn't need to finish it. He could see his father got it.

"It's not right."

"Before I met him, I would have done anything to not be this way." God, he hated to say that even if it were true.

"Not anymore?"

"No." Jensen forced a laugh. "You know that old saying about not knowing what you're missing? Well, I know now." And there was no putting the knowledge back in the box. Not that he'd want to anyway. What he felt under Jared's hands was worth everything he was going through to have it. Even his father's disapproval.

Alan was silent, but it was clear he understood. "I don't approve. And I surely don't understand it. But," he paused and shrugged. "You're my son and I love you."

Jensen looked up and blinked several times. "I love you, too, Dad."

* * *

"I want to announce our engagement at the Christmas ball," Jared said, coming into the sitting room later that night. It wouldn't make that much difference in the end, they could do it any time, but he just wanted one thing in their lives settled.

"Okay, no problem," Jensen said, standing and moving towards him. He drew Jared into his arms and held on tightly. "Whatever you want."

Not that he was complaining, but Jared had been expecting a fight or at least some resistance. And Jensen was shaking.

"What's wrong?" He ran a hand up and down Jensen's back.

"I read Chris' report. The one from this afternoon." Jensen pulled back enough to look at him. And there was that look in his eyes again, the one from this afternoon. Only it was worse now.

"Oh, God, Jared. If he'd pulled the trigger, you..." Jensen pressed his head against Jared's chest and took a shuddering breath, his fingers digging painfully into Jared's arm.

"He didn't, though. Chris made sure of that." He kissed the top of Jensen's head. "We can't live our lives with what could have happened." It would drive them insane. Jared wished he could promise this wouldn't happen again, but he couldn't.

"I'm going to make damned sure that it doesn't happen again." There was steel behind Jensen's tone.

And Jared knew Jensen would do what he'd promised. It wouldn't happen like that again. But he knew, and Jensen did too, that there were other ways that it could happen. "You're doing that already."

A shiver ran through Jensen's body and he shook his head. "Not so well if one of your guards was involved."

"Do you know for certain that it was someone from the guard?" It was probably naive to do so, but Jared didn't want to believe that anyone that close to him would betray him.

Jensen looked up. The raw fear was muted behind determination. "We're still looking into it. There almost had to have been a leak to know where you would be today."

"Chris told me about Ventnor's lover." Jared still had trouble believing that a single man could wreak so much havoc without really knowing what he was doing. "It seems like he was trying to get caught."

"I think it was a combination of Ventnor pushing, and him needing an outlet for his anger. When did you speak to Chris?" Jensen pulled back, his eyes narrowing. "Wait. You called him Chris. Twice in fact."

He'd wondered when Jensen would pick up on that. "I spoke with him this afternoon. He and I have..." Jared shrugged. "We've begun to come to an understanding."

"I thought I was going to have to mediate between you two or something." The relief in Jensen's tone was worth the effort of getting along with Kane.

"It was inevitable that we would come to some kind of agreement. It just happened sooner rather than later." It would make life much easier all the way around. And he could admit, at least to himself, that there were some similarities between Kane and Jensen that he could admire.

Jensen leaned up and kissed him. "Thanks."

Jared tightened his arms around Jensen and leaned into the kiss, his tongue sliding into Jensen's mouth. For a couple of minutes, he lost himself in the feel of Jensen's mouth and the press of his body. Then, he leaned back to look down at Jensen. "Are you sure you want to announce at the ball?"

Jensen huffed out a laugh. "You've been nagging me to set a date for a month. When I finally agree, you're arguing with me? Difficult much?"

"I don't want to force you into anything." But the sooner that Jensen was tied to him, the better.

"You're not. I've always said I would marry you." Jensen sighed and looked towards the window. "I just wish it could be private. That we could have a few friends and our families."

Jared shook his head. "Nothing in my life is private. And after we marry, it will only get worse for you and Bobby."

"And I'm still getting used to that. But as much as that sucks; it doesn't mean I don't want you." Jensen ran his hands up and down Jared's arms.

And he had to kiss Jensen again. Softly, sweetly. The way he deserved to be kissed. Jensen opened his mouth under his lips. Jared pulled him against him, rocking his hips into Jensen's. "And since you want me, it's my duty to oblige you."

"Duty?" Jensen's fingers were already undoing his tie.

"And pleasure." Jared's heartbeat started to march double time.

"Or maybe tonight, it's about me pleasuring you?" Jared knew what that Jensen look in his eyes meant. His mouth went dry.

Oh Christ; he wanted it.

Before he knew what had happened exactly, Jensen had him stripped naked and on his belly, his legs spread. The sensations of Jensen's mouth moving over his body never failed to thrill him. Each stroke of tongue sent little flashes of fire across his skin. It had never been like this with anyone else. He shivered as Jensen licked him again, slowly moving down his back.

God in heaven, it was almost too much. The magnificent feel of those fingers pulling him gently apart, the first flick from Jensen's tongue. It was hard to believe that up until a few months ago, Jensen had never done this or any number of other things he was becoming quite adept at.

Jared's mind shut down and he moaned softly. "Please, please, please."

"Greedy much?"

"Oh, yes." He pressed back and moaned again.

At some point later, and really, Jared had no idea how long he'd been held and cherished by Jensen's tongue, two slick fingers moved into him adding some spice to the sweetness.

"Oh, God," Jared moaned, moving into Jensen's stroke. "Please. Now."

"Soon," Jensen said. "Very soon."

But even when it came, it wasn't soon enough. "Harder," he demanded as Jensen thrust into him over and over again.

And Jensen hit it right and perfect and again and again. And it was all Jared could ever wish and everything he ever wanted.

He sobbed out Jensen's name as he came hard and hot and loved completely. Everything he'd ever wanted.

* * *

"You do realize that our wedding is going to be a state event? With dignitaries from all over Europe?" Jared's fingers traced along the damp skin of Jensen's back. He hated to break the mood, but he also didn't want Jensen to have any illusions about the wedding.

"Yeah. I did get that. Can we at least have a private honeymoon?"

Jared let out a sigh. It was entirely unlikely that they'd be able to find a private place. "Maybe we could go to the lodge for a week. Maybe we could go skiing in Switzerland." He'd heard that some of the celebrity lodges could keep the press at bay.

"I've only been skiing a couple of times." There was something in Jensen's tone that said this was a problem.

He couldn't imagine why. "Didn't you enjoy it?"

"I've always thought of it as a rich man's sport." At least, there was some chagrin in his tone. "You know, movie stars go skiing in Switzerland. Besides, I don't ski that well."

The obvious answer was that after they were married Jensen would be a rich man, himself. Beyond the title Jensen would receive, there was also a lifelong pension. It wasn't as if it were a secret. "There's time to learn. We could go skiing this winter."

"I'm not going to have time. There's so much to do here," Jensen said. Stress clear in his tone.

And Jared wasn't sure if it was the idea of going skiing or the amount of work he'd taken on. "You are going to need a break at some point. You can't keep going at the pace you've been setting without starting to burn out."

Jensen sat up to look at him. "Maybe. Bobby doesn't ski at all."

That would be even easier to fix. Bobby had embraced each new challenge. "He'll learn, too. It really is fun. Jordan's been skiing practically since he was born."

"Of course he has," Jensen muttered.

"What?" Jared put his hand flat on Jensen's chest, moving his fingers slowly. "Is there another problem?"

He let out a huge sigh. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I remember who I used to be and how far this is from there."

Jared tilted his head. "Maybe it's time to accept where you are and let the past go."

"Maybe you can help me with that?" Jensen leaned down to lick along Jared's chest. "Or maybe I can help you?"

"I would consider it my honor to help you with anything you need." Jared slid down flat, and pulled Jensen on top of him.

Jensen took the hint and kissed him deeply. For a moment, he luxuriated in the feel of Jensen's mouth on his, and Jensen's naked body in his arms. Unfortunately, this wasn't going to solve the problems. "Maybe we should talk about things more?"

With a laugh, Jensen leaned down for another kiss. "I'd rather do other things right now if that's all right with you." He shifted down the bed a bit and took hold of Jared.

Which made it very hard for Jared to remember what he wanted to say. "We just did other things." But he arched into Jensen's touch. Because how could he not. Jensen was stroking him in that oh-so-perfect way.

"You know, there's no limit on doing that. And really, you don't seem to mind." Jensen's fingers tightened just a bit.

"Except that we don't talk about what's bothering us." Not that he particularly wanted to talk about anything right now, not with Jensen's hand doing such splendid things to him.

"You're right. But we can talk about this later, right?"

"Please," Jared said, closing his eyes and giving himself up to Jensen's touch.

* * *

Epilogue

"So, how's it feel to be engaged?" Chris asked, knocking his shoulder lightly into Jensen's.

At least there hadn't been a ring, only an understated announcement and some polite applause. Jensen shrugged. "I haven't had time to get used to it yet."

"You know, dude, I never thought to ask, but what _will_ your title be when you marry ...His Majesty. I mean, I'm assuming you get one, right?" The smirk on Chris' face was truly a scary thing.

Jared stepped up behind him and put both hands on Jensen's shoulders. Jensen wanted to lean into the touch. Oh hell, they were engaged now, people could deal with it. He stepped back into Jared, leaning into his chest.

Jared kissed the back of his head. "He'll be His Royal Highness, Jensen, Prince Consort. Or Prince Jensen to most people," Jared said.

Chris made a noise that sounded like a snort cut-off. His eyes were watering. "I see," he choked out.

Okay, he knew he'd be hearing about that possibly for the rest of his life. But it wasn't as if he could hide it, either.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Jared asked, silkily.

And Chris just shook his head, his smirk got nastier. "No, sir. None at all."

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a sound at the top of the stairs. "Her Grace, the Grand Duchess of Montovia, Samantha Ferris Deveraux."

She came down the staircase in a black gown that seemed to float around her. Her hair was up and arranged so that the tiara she was wearing was shown off. The glasses she wore glinted in the light. Jensen had thought she was an attractive woman when he'd met her, but tonight she looked really beautiful.

"Trust Sam to make an entrance like she owns the place, even when she's unfashionably late," Jared muttered.

Chris made a startled sound and his expression went from amused to stunned in a heartbeat. "Oh, God, she's beautiful. Dude, she looks like a princess...."

"And totally out of your league man. As in not from the same planet as you." Jensen laughed. "She's a duchess in her own right, and then she married Jared's uncle."

Chris' eyes never left her. "Man, I don't care if she's the Queen of Sheba. You have to introduce me to her. Like now. Sooner."

Jensen didn't like the look in his eyes one bit. "Seriously, Chris. No."

"You promised."

"Not her. She'll eat you for breakfast. And she's at least six or eight years older than you are."

"What a way to go. And you know what they say about the older the grape..." He met Jensen's eyes. "If you don't introduce me, I'll introduce myself."

Jared smiled at that, and Jensen sighed. As long as they were standing with Jared, she'd come to them.

Sam swept a curtsy toward Jared. "Your Majesty. It's good to see you again."

"And you, Samantha." Jared kissed her hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, sir. My foundation had a problem that required my immediate attention," she said, actually sounding contrite.

"A major problem?"

"Nothing that a lot of work won't fix." She sighed. "What did I miss?"

"Aside from the announcement of my engagement?"

She smiled at him. "Congratulations, Your Majesty! What wonderful news. I hope that you and Mr. Ackles will have many happy years together."

Jensen was looking at Chris' face as he looked at Samantha. He'd never seen that look on Chris' face before. Oh, this would not end well.

"Mr. Ackles," she said, inclining her head. "It's a pleasure to see you again, sir."

Jensen inclined his head. "And you, Your Grace."

Chris cleared his throat, but his eyes never left her. He looked like he was starving and she was the first food he'd seen in a month.

Jared took pity on him. "This is Christian Kane. He's Jensen's closest friend from Texas. And will be Jensen's deputy director starting after the first of the year."

"It's a pleasure to --" She turned towards Chris, a polite smile starting to form, but it didn't manifest. It transformed into the same stunned look that Chris was wearing. Her voice went down noticeably. "-- meet you."

"Darlin', would you like to dance with me?" Chris held out his hand. "Because I have been waiting my whole life to dance with you."

"I cannot think of anything I'd rather do," she said, placing her gloved hand in his.

He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it, never taking his eyes away from her face. As they moved towards the dance floor, they both seemed to be unable to look away from the other.

"I've never seen him willingly dance with anyone. Not even Katie," Jensen said as they started to waltz. "And I would have bet good money that he couldn't dance like that."

Jared shook his head. "I've never seen her so... I don't even know. She's usually so forceful and direct. She's looking at him like he hung the moon."

"He's looking at her the same way." Jensen sighed. "Oh, God. This can't be a good thing."

"Oh, I don't know. I'd love to see Sam find someone. She's refused to date since my uncle died," Jared said, sounding like he approved.

"I'd love for Chris to find someone, too. But Samantha?" Jensen shook his head, hoping for a diplomatic way to put it, and not finding one. "She is pretty far out of his league."

"Most people would have said the same about you and me. And look where we are." Jared's eyes were bright and Jensen could see the love for him in them. It warmed his heart in a way that nothing else in the world could.

When Jared looked at him like that, Jensen wished they weren't in a room full of people. "And you were, and are, out of my league."

Before Jared could open his mouth to protest, Jensen put a finger to his lips and smiled at him. "Okay, so maybe it could work out for them." But truthfully, he doubted it. "What happened to her husband?"

"My uncle died of cancer about four years ago."

"I'm taking it they had a good relationship."

"The best. The whole time he was sick, she never left his side." Jared shuddered. "Do you want to dance?"

Jensen looked down, his cheeks hot. "You know that I don't dance that well."

"We can just move to the music." Jared held out his hand. "We could arrange for dancing lessons."

Jensen took his hand. "Lessons?"

"You want to dance at our wedding, don't you?"

As much as the idea appealed to him, dance lessons did not. Closing his eyes as Jared embraced him, Jensen leaned into Jared's big body. He could live with anything, even dance lessons, to have Jared in his arms. Because there was nothing better than that. Nothing. Ever.

-finis


End file.
